On January 27, 2025, Pakistan’s Border Military Police (BMP) forcibly shut down a book fair set up by the Baloch Student Action Committee (BSAC) in Taunsa Sharif.

The BSAC is a student-led political group founded in 2009 by students from the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences. The book stall was part of the Kitab Karawan, a traveling book campaign aimed at promoting education and literacy in underserved regions of Balochistan. This incident occurred as part of a series of police raids on the Kitab Karawan that took place in January and February 2025, including on January 21 (see report) and January 29 (see report). According to the BSAC, the BMP threatened the students with serious consequences for the book stall.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the seizure of books in an apparent attempt to silence nonviolent expression — conduct that is expressly protected by international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Pakistan is a party. States have an obligation not to interfere with the right to freedom of expression, so long as it is exercised peacefully and responsibly. Such action undermines academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://baluchsarmachar.wordpress.com/2025/01/27/bsac-condemns-closure-of-book-fair-in-taunsa-sharif-alleging-suppression-of-educational-activities/
https://hrcbalochistan.com/balochistan-117-forcibly-disappeared-33-killed-in-january-2025/
https://thebalochistanpost.net/2025/01/taunsa-sharif-police-shut-down-book-fair

Note: This report was drafted in part using artificial intelligence (AI) tools, with SAR staff reviewing and as necessary adjusting the content prior to publication.