A Baloch student organization criticized Pakistani authorities for commemorating the 28th anniversary of nuclear tests in Balochistan’s Chagai district. The group denounced the celebrations, highlighting the negative impact of the tests, including displacement, environmental damage, militarization, and the erasure of Baloch identity. Peaceful protests and awareness campaigns were conducted globally by Baloch activists to oppose the nuclear tests conducted on May 28, 1998.
The Baloch Student Council (BSC) of Pakistan’s Islamabad and Punjab province issued a statement emphasizing that the anniversary is not a cause for celebration but a painful reminder of occupation and suffering for the Baloch nation. The BSC accused the Pakistani authorities of conducting the nuclear tests in Chagai without the consent of the indigenous population, leading to the region’s transformation into a testing ground and neglect of Baloch voices and rights.
The BSC highlighted the ongoing marginalization of the people of Balochistan due to policies pursued in the name of national interests. They described the situation in Balochistan as reflective of colonial treatment rather than recognition of the region as the homeland of its people. The organization pointed out that the displacement of the Baloch nation, resource exploitation, demographic manipulation, and suppression of dissent constitute a form of oppression that many Baloch view as a slow genocide.
Expressing appreciation for the efforts of students, activists, journalists, and human rights defenders in opposing the Chagai nuclear tests, the BSC affirmed its commitment to the pursuit of truth, justice, dignity, and national survival beyond the anniversary date. They asserted that no amount of propaganda could erase the intergenerational pain endured by the Baloch people or silence their determination to resist oppression and safeguard their identity.
