GWADAR: Hundreds of students from Gwadar and other parts of Makran division belonging to different colleges and universities of the country staged a protest rally and a sin-in on Wednesday against the Higher Education Comm­ission’s decision to start online classes.

They said the HEC’s decision would deprive them of education as no internet facilities were available in most areas of the two cities while in such areas where these facilities were available, the speed of internet was so slow that it was impossible for them to keep pace with the study.

The protesting students marched on various roads of Gwadar town carrying placards and banners inscribed with their demand asking the HEC to immediately take back its decision.

The students, after marching through different roads of the town, gathered in front of the Gwadar Press Club and staged a sit-in and set up a protest camp.

Complain about internet problems in Gwadar, Makran

A large number of political activists, members of civil society and other people visited the camp and expressed their solidarity with the students.

The students said the HEC’s decision to start online classes could not be implemented in Makran area as internet facilities were not available in most of the area and in some areas where the internet facilities were available its speed was very slow.

“We cannot accept the decision of HEC,” Muhammad Javed Baloch, a student, said and termed the HEC move a cruel and one-side decision which, he said, was tantamount to playing with the future of students of Makran.

The students demanded withdrawal of the HEC decision and urged the institution to look for another solution to the issue.

Later, they ended their sit-in after the Gwadar assistant commissioner assured them that the government would soon find a solution to their problem.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2020