QUETTA: National Party President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has opposed the decision of the provincial government to shut Balochi, Brahvi and Pashto departments at Balochistan University and replace them with a single department named Institute for Literature and Languages.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday along with party leaders Khair Jan Baloch, Ms Kulsoom Niaz and Aslam Baloch, Dr Baloch rejected the provincial government’s decision.

“It is not acceptable for the National Party and we will take up the issue at all forums and launch a struggle to get the decision reversed,” he said.

He said that instead of closing the language departments in the Balochistan University, the government should cut unnecessary expenditures and establish endowment funds to financially strengthen universities of the province.

He said the government took the decision claiming that the departments were making losses.

“If that’s the case, then what about the entire country which is also facing losses and being run despite huge debts. Universities aren’t meant for profit; they are meant to produce skilled human resource which they are doing,” he said. He also criticised reduction in the salary of the university faculty and said salaries of professors, associate professors and assistant professors have been cut by Rs100,000, Rs90,000 and Rs80,000, respectively.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025