Jacobabad’s 1.5 million residents still without a university despite two approved campuses

Despite having an estimated population of around 1.5 million, Jacobabad, also known as Khangarh, remains without a university,

JACOBABAD:  Despite having an estimated population of around 1.5 million, Jacobabad, also known as Khangarh, remains without a university, as two previously approved sub-campus projects have yet to materialise, according to a report released by the Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC).

The report was published as part of BSAC’s Baloch Literacy Campaign (BLC) which highlights educational challenges faced by Baloch-populated areas and calls for improved access to higher education.

According to the committee, the shortage of educational institutions in these regions is a major obstacle to literacy and academic development. It maintains that the problem is not a lack of interest in education among young people but the limited opportunities and facilities available to them.

Two approved campuses remain unimplemented

The BSAC report identifies two initiatives that were announced to improve access to higher education in Khangarh but have not resulted in operational campuses.

In 2010, a sub-campus of Shah Abdul Latif University was approved for the area. However, the committee says the project remained limited to official documents and was never implemented on the ground.

Similarly, in 2018, a sub-campus of Mehran University was approved, raising hopes among local students. However, the proposed facility has also failed to become a reality, leaving the region without the promised higher education opportunities.

The report further points out that although Khangarh is administratively part of Sindh, it has a significant Baloch population. BSAC argues that the region’s educational needs have not received adequate attention and that its residents continue to face difficulties in accessing higher education.

Several neighbouring districts also lack facilities

The report highlights that educational deprivation extends beyond Jacobabad to a wider geographical belt, including Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Sohbatpur, Usta Muhammad and Jhal Magsi.

According to BSAC, these areas lack adequate university-level facilities, including even a single sub-campus that could help students pursue higher education without relocating to distant cities.

The committee has called for the establishment of full-fledged universities in Nasirabad, Balochistan, and Jacobabad (Khangarh), Sindh, arguing that the population and educational needs of these regions warrant greater attention.

Students forced to move to other cities

The absence of local higher education institutions has placed an additional financial and social burden on students and their families.

BSAC says many young people are compelled to travel or relocate to other cities to continue their studies. However, accommodation, transportation, tuition fees and other living expenses make higher education difficult for students from financially disadvantaged households.

As a result, some students are unable to continue their education and are forced to abandon their academic goals.

The report describes the lack of nearby universities as a significant barrier to educational access, particularly for students who cannot afford the costs associated with studying outside their hometowns.

BSAC’s higher education campaign

Under its Baloch Literacy Campaign, BSAC launched a Higher Education Campaign in 2023 to demand the establishment of universities in educationally underserved regions.

The campaign covers Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Jacobabad, Kohlu, Dera Bugti and Rakhshan, among other areas. As part of its efforts, the committee has organised rallies, awareness walks and press conferences to draw attention to the shortage of higher education facilities.

BSAC has urged the relevant authorities to take practical steps towards establishing universities in these regions and to move beyond announcements and approvals.

The committee reiterated that students in these areas should have access to higher education close to their homes, without being forced to leave their families and communities because of a lack of local institutions.

It demanded immediate action on the previously approved projects and the establishment of universities in the identified regions to address the longstanding educational gap.