Baloch Students Organisation Condemns Pakistan Government for Severe Budget Cuts in Literary Organizations » Capital News

Pakistan, July 1 – The Baloch Students Organisation (BSO) has criticized the Pakistani government for implementing significant budget cuts in literary organizations across Balochistan. These organizations are crucial for the promotion and preservation of the Balochi language and literature.

During a press conference held at the Quetta Press Club, BSO members expressed their outrage and demanded the immediate reversal of these budget cuts. They warned of major protests if their demands were not addressed, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

BSO Secretary General Samad Baloch, Information Secretary Shakoor Baloch, and other leaders condemned the local administration for these reductions, which were part of the recently presented 2024-25 financial budget.

Several educational and literary organizations, including the Balochistan Academy Kech, the Balochi Academy Quetta, and the Izzat Academy Panjgur, have been severely affected by these budget cuts. The BSO leaders emphasized the importance of mother tongue education for preserving cultural identity, drawing comparisons to countries like Japan, Australia, and England, where native languages are used in education.

“The oppressors have sought to undermine the cultures and languages of the people they dominate,” stated the BSO leaders, accusing the Pakistani administration of attempting to suppress Balochi literature and deprive Baloch children of their right to be educated in their mother tongue.

The BSO revealed that budgets for Balochi and Brahvi literature schools have been slashed by 70 to 90 percent, with some entirely eliminated. The Balochi Academy’s budget was reduced from 50 million rupees to 10 million, and the Balochistan Academy in Turbat faced a budget cut of over 90 percent. Other organizations, such as Balochi Labzani Diwan, Raskoh Adbi Diwan, Bravhi Adbi Society, and Mehr Dar, also experienced significant reductions or complete removal of their budgets.

The BSO leaders clarified that their issue is not with the allocations for other literary organizations but with the discriminatory budget cuts targeting Balochi language schools. They accused the local government of being a ‘puppet’ of Pakistan and claimed that such actions demonstrate Balochistan’s colonial status.

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