The Balochistan province of Pakistan has been facing a serious human rights issue for many years now: the issue of missing persons. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), as of 2021, there were over 12,000 cases of enforced disappearances in Balochistan alone (HRCP, 2021).
This issue has not only caused immense pain and suffering to the families of the missing persons but has also had a significant impact on the academic performance of Baloch students. Moreover, the issue has also led to a significant number of Baloch students dropping out of school or university.
According to a report by the Baloch Human Rights Organisation (BHRO), between 2004 and 2019, over 1,500 Baloch students had to drop out of school or university due to the disappearance of a family member (BHRO, 2019). In some cases, students have had to take on extra responsibilities, such as caring for younger siblings or working to support their families, which has led to a decline in their academic performance.
This province of Pakistan has been facing a serious human rights issue for many years. The issue of missing persons came to the surface for the peripheries at the inception of Pakistan. But the issue of missing persons became familiar for the rest of Pakistan, especially for the developed regions( Punjab and Islamabad), when some of the Federal and Punjab-centric activists got missing, including, Matiullah Jan, Zainat Shahzadi, Raza Khan, Asad Tur, Imran Khan Naizi, and ‘Ali Razvi.
According to reports, thousands of Baloch people have gone missing over the past decade, with many of them being tortured and killed. The issue has not only caused immense pain and suffering to the families of the missing persons but has also had a significant impact on the academic performance of Baloch students.
However, Balochistan province has some universities and colleges, and many Baloch students attend these institutions to further their education. Due to the ongoing conflict and the missing persons issue, these students face numerous challenges that affect their academic performance, class participation, and creative activities.
Due to the socio-political uncertainty, parents send their children to Punjab and Islamabad for quality education. Over there, as one writer wrote in an article in the press on ‘Stereotype Baloch Youth’: ‘Baloch, on the one hand, face cultural and ethnic stereotypes, and on the other, they become victims of racial and ethnic profiling. The issue of Baloch missing persons and the culture of abduction and disappearance of Baloch have created a fearful situation for Baloch youth, artists, students, writers, and academia. Everywhere, there is fear.’
In conclusion, the Baloch missing persons issue in Balochistan has severely impacted the educational opportunities available to Baloch youths. Their academic performance has suffered due to psychological stress, heavier workloads, and general pessimism. Taking action to ensure that Baloch students obtain education without fear of harassment, abduction, or stereotypes is a top priority for the State’s institutions. This is the only way forward if we want to provide the educated youth of Balochistan with a brighter future.
The psychological anguish that students experience as a result of their ongoing worry about being abducted or missing a family member is one of the most significant barriers they confront. Owing to the stress brought on by the missing persons issue, many Baloch students have reported feeling uncomfortable, depressed, harassed, and unable to focus on their schoolwork.
In addition, many Baloch students have been forced to abandon their education because a parent, sibling, or other family member has gone missing. As a result of having to help out at home by taking care of younger siblings or earning money to put food on the table, some students’ grades have suffered.
The problem has also caused despair and despondency among Baloch students. Many people remain concerned that the prolonged turmoil and instability in the region will prevent them from realizing their full potential and achieving what they want in life.
A 2019 study by the Balochistan Education Foundation (BEF) found that the disappearance of so many people had a devastating effect on the academic success of Baloch students. 75 percent of Baloch students in the research said they were nervous or stressed out because of the conflict and the missing persons issue. Many Baloch students have been rendered unable to concentrate on their education as a direct result of the emotional distress they have experienced.
The study also discovered that the missing person’s problem has caused widespread disillusionment and indifference among Baloch pupils. Many students spoke of an overall lack of confidence in their capacity to succeed andof optimism about the future. Many students are apathetic about their education because of this dismal outlook in the Voice for Baloch 2021 report, and as a result, class participation and attendance have decreased despite having the most critical academic quests and questions in mind.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) research from 2021 also indicated that the disappearance of people had a major effect on the emotional well-being of Baloch students. Due to the ongoing violence and the missing persons situation, the study indicated that many students experienced symptoms of sadness, anxiety, and PTSD (HRCP, 2021). Many students have had difficulty managing the stress and trauma brought on by the conflict, which has had a negative effect on their mental health and therefore their academic performance.
One of the M. Phil students from Pakistan’s Quaid-i-Azam University shared his experience about the process of choosing a topic for his thesis. He claimed that he presented his supervisor with ten different research topics relating to the problems in Baluchistan and the aspirations of Baloch youth; his supervisor rejected all of them.
Similarly, one of the master’s students at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad expressed with grief that he felt fear and anxiety while participating in class activities and critical discussion despite being a student of social sciences.
In conclusion, the Baloch missing persons issue in Balochistan has severely impacted the educational opportunities available to Baloch youths. Their academic performance has suffered due to psychological stress, heavier workloads, and general pessimism. Taking action to ensure that Baloch students obtain education without fear of harassment, abduction, or stereotypes is a top priority for the State’s institutions. This is the only way forward if we want to provide the educated youth of Balochistan with a brighter future.
