How Karima Baloch’s Death Again Proves That Women Face Violence When They Speak Up

Karima Baloch, a human rights activist from Pakistan has been found dead after she went missing in Canada. 

Karima Baloch, a human rights activist from Pakistan has been found dead after she went missing in Canada. 

Karima Baloch, a human rights activist in exile from Pakistan, had been sent death threats over the past few days according to her friends and family, and went missing a couple of days ago. She was found dead by the Toronto police.

Karima Baloch was a human rights activist and had actively been raising a voice against the forced disappearances and hostility imposed upon the people of Balochistan province in Pakistan. Karima joined the Baloch Students Organisation (BSO) in 2006 and became the chairperson of the BSO in 2015. 

In the same year, terrorism charges were pressed upon her, forcing her to live in exile in Toronto, Canada. In 2016, BBC included Karima in their BBC’s annual list of 100 inspirational and influential women ‘for her groundbreaking moments of defiance’ and her work in human rights.

Karima Baloch continued her activism in exile

After moving to Toronto,Canada, Karima did not put her work at halt. She actively spoke for the people of Balochistan and against the military operations in the province through social media.

On Twitter, she continued raising her voice for those people from Balochistan who were kidnapped or went missing. She appealed to various organizations like Amnesty International for finding the missing persons. 

Just a month ago, Karima posted about and observed the 53rd Foundation Day of the Baloch Students Organisation and praised BSO’s role in the Baloch national struggle and standing up for equality. 

She continued raising her voice for the people of Balochistan and against human rights abuses till the end. Her last tweet on December 14th was an article shared by her highlighting the plight of the people of Balochistan. 

Perpetual threats to life

Due to her activism and her work for the human rights of the people in Balochistan, like many human rights activists, Karima too had been receiving abuses and threats, even after she left Pakistan to seek exile in Canada. Her close friend who also lives in Canada revealed that since a few days she had been receiving threats of being sent “a Christmas gift” to “teach her a lesson.”

According to her husband, Karima left her home for a walk but never returned. Upon being reported missing, the Toronto Police started a search operation and found her body on Toronto’s Centre Island. 

The Toronto police did not give much detail about the investigation except for highlighting that her death is being investigated as a ‘non-criminal death,’ but those who follow her on Twitter are not convinced. 

It is to be seen what really happened, but not difficult to put 2 and 2 together.

History has witnessed that anyone who dares to raise their voice against injustice and for the rights of the vulnerable groups are immediately seen as a threat and are shunned down and suppressed. However, their good work and good deeds always remain immortal. 

Image source: twitter

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Aditi Singh Kaushik

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