A Baloch Father Sets Himself on Fire Following His Child's Registration Denial in Zahedan; Education Ministry Spokesperson: 'We Do Not Deny the Issue'

A Baloch father set himself on fire on Tuesday, September 10, in response to his child not being registered at a school located in Mehrshahr, Zahedan. Hours after the news broke, Ali Farhadi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, stated, 'We do not deny that there may be poor treatment at a school.' This government official claimed that 'such cases are addressed in the performance evaluation and complaint response unit.' According to reports, this father faced repeated refusals without reason from school officials after several visits to the school regarding his child's admission. Following this, he went to the Education Department of Sistan and Baluchestan Province to pursue his complaint and requested a meeting with the provincial education director. Sources indicate that after unsuccessful attempts to meet with the director and receiving no response, the Baloch father poured gasoline on himself in the Education Department building, intending to self-immolate. However, with the quick and timely reaction of those present, the self-immolation was prevented. This incident comes amid numerous reports of Baloch students being denied registration in schools in Zahedan, especially those close to their residences. News sources had previously reported that some schools in these areas refuse to accept Baloch students without providing specific reasons. This situation has raised serious concerns among Baloch families and once again drew attention to the educational problems and discrimination faced by some Baloch citizens.