A significant number of Pashtoon and Baloch students choose Punjab to pursue their higher education, as Balochistan’s education sector lacks sufficient universities to accommodate them. This compels many students to move to other provinces to complete their degrees.
Unfortunately, Pashtoon students often express dissatisfaction with the facilities and the discriminatory behaviour of university administrations in Punjab. They are frequently stopped by the Punjab police and asked to show their CNICs without cause. On campuses, professors repeatedly exhibit double standards in grading and often behave rudely towards Pashtoon and Baloch students.
Additionally, Pashtoon students are routinely denied permission to organise cultural programmes, while students from other communities face no such restrictions. When permission is granted, it comes with strict conditions not applied to others. If such discriminatory practices are not curbed, they could lead to serious consequences in the near future.
In a nutshell, all political activities on campuses should be banned, and the Punjab government must take steps to create a safe, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating academic environment.
MEHBOOB KHAN
PISHIN
