One would think that a nuclear-armed state with the world’s fastest growing nuclear programme would not be afraid of a discussion being held at a private university on a ‘sensitive’ topic. Think again. The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) was going to hold a round-table yesterday (Thursday, April 9) on human rights in Balochistan titled ‘Un-silencing Balochistan’ but due to the intervention of state agencies, LUMS was forced to cancel this academic discussion.

Marri tribal guerrillas prepare to attack a Pakistani troop outpost near Kahan in the Pakistani province of Balochistan in 2006. The Marri and Bugti tribes say that the Pakistani government takes their region's gas and mineral reserves but gives little in return to Balochistan, the poorest province in Pakistan. File Pic /Getty Images