Baloch, Sindhi organisations call for international probe into activist Karima Baloch's death
Jan 19, 2021
London [UK], January 19 : Baloch and Sindhi human rights and political organisations have called for an international investigation into the death of activist Karima Baloch.
In a letter to the European Parliament, members of the British Parliament and the US Senators, the Baloch and Sindhi organisations have asked the members to use their influence in initiating an international investigation into the mysterious death of Karima Baloch last year in Canada, reported Balochistan Affairs.
The organisations are Baloch Human Rights Council (BHRC), Baloch National Movement in Diaspora (BNM), World Baloch Organization (WBO), and World Sindhi Congress (WSC).
The letter highlighted that the Baloch activist was vocal against the Pakistani state's inhuman and genocide acts including enforced disappearances and kill-and-dump policy of Pakistan forces in Balochistan. It also said that she was receiving threats from unknown quarters and on many occasions, she feared her life from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI).
Noting the alarm and concern caused among Baloch and Sindhi political exiles by Karima's death, the organisations in the letter also pointed out various Pakistani military officials including a chief of staff being on record for threatening political dissidents living abroad for physical elimination.
The letter also pointed out that dissidents from other areas of Pakistan are also facing harassment and intimidation from people believed to be linked to Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad, specifically mentioning the harassment of Pakistani exiled activists Waqas Goraya, exiled Pakistani Journalist Taha Siddiqui and activist Gulalai Ismail, Balochistan Affairs reported.
The Baloch and Sindhi organisations further regretted the indifference of the international community to the genocide of the Baloch. They ignored repeated calls by the Baloch political parties and human rights organizations for the intervention of the civilized world to stop the gross human rights violations in Balochistan.
They have also asked for the immediate intervention of the civilized world for the punishment of those involved in such heinous crimes.
Karima, a Baloch human rights activist who fled from Pakistan to Canada in 2015, was found dead in Toronto on December 22, 2020. The 37-year old activist's body was found near Lake Ontario.
The activist's death has also sparked protests across Europe and North America as the Baloch diaspora took to the streets in Toronto, Berlin and Netherlands calling on the Canadian government to investigate.
Baloch had campaigned vigorously against the disappearances and human rights violations in the troubled Balochistan province of Pakistan.
