Baloch activist Sammi Deen Baloch has strongly condemned comments made by the chief minister of Balochistan, who claimed that Balochi poetry is being used to radicalize young people in the province. Activists argue that the frustration among Baloch youth stems not from literature but from years of state repression and controversial government policies.

The chief minister made the statement during a session of the Balochistan Assembly, alleging that some Balochi poems were encouraging young people to join armed groups. His remarks sparked criticism from activists and political figures, who accused the government of diverting attention from deeper problems in the region, according to The Balochistan Post.

Responding to the claim, Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader Sammi Deen Baloch said authorities should examine their policies in Balochistan instead of blaming poetry and literature for growing dissatisfaction among young people. She argued that the anger among Baloch youth is largely driven by long-standing grievances, including enforced disappearances, restrictions on civil freedoms, and continuing security operations.

In a sarcastic response, she suggested that if poetry truly had the power to radicalize youth, then institutions promoting the Balochi language should be closely monitored and books should be seized. She added that books encourage critical thinking, which authorities often view as a threat. Following that logic, she said libraries should be shut down and Baloch students removed from universities and colleges because education encourages them to question official narratives and government policies. Sammi Deen Baloch also criticized what she described as systematic attempts to suppress dissent in the province. She pointed to travel restrictions, limited job opportunities, and internet shutdowns, saying these measures prevent people from witnessing what she described as state repression in Balochistan.

She further raised concerns about enforced disappearances, claiming that many Baloch individuals are detained for years and later denied in official records, as reported by The Balochistan Post. She accused the state of relying on bans, restrictions, and violence rather than addressing the root causes of mistrust among the Baloch population. Referring to recent reports from Panjgur, she mentioned allegations that 22 young men were killed in suspected extrajudicial actions within about twenty days. She concluded that Baloch youth are not turning against the state because of poetry or books, but due to prolonged repression, violence, and policies that suppress dissent in the region.