Baloch activist’s death sparks rally
TURBAT, PAKISTAN: Hundreds of people hit the streets of Turbat city in Pakistan’s Balochistan province to protest over what they are seeing as the “coldblooded assassination” of prominent human rights activist Karima Baloch. The protesters, many of them women, were seen holding placards reading, “Stop genocide”, “cold-blooded assassination of Karima Baloch”.
They raised slogans against the Pakistani government’s response to Karima’s mysterious death in Toronto recently, and also demanded independence of the Balochistan province.
Karima had taken refuge in Canada after fleeing Pakistan a few years back due to serious threats to her life. She was found dead in Ontario Lake on Toronto’s harbour front on Monday morning after being missing from Sunday afternoon.
Human rights activists in Pakistan, Canada and various other countries have demanded an investigation into the untimely death of the activist, especially after Toronto police insisted there was no foul play behind her death.
Condemning the death of the
Baloch leader in Toronto, Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday emphasised the need for a thorough investigation into the death of the slain activist.
“A thorough investigation is needed as Karima Baloch becomes the second Pakistani dissident from Balochistan living in exile to be found dead this year. Her body is discovered in Toronto. Pakistani authorities had followed and threatened her in Balochistan,” Roth tweeted.
On Thursday, a group called “Friends of Karima Baloch” staged a protest outside the Toronto police headquarters and demanded justice for the rights activist. The protesters raised slogans such as “Who killed Karima Baloch? Pakistan”, “Pakistan Intelligence Get out of Canada”, “Toronto Police Do More Investigation” and “Justice for Karima Baloch”. Demonstrators defied coronavirus curbs and gathered outside the Toronto police headquarters.
In Canada, the leaders of Hindu Forum Canada, the Committee of Progressive Pakistani Canadians, Indo-Canada Kashmir Council, Hindu Advocacy Council and Progressive Muslim Associations have protested over her death.