The Baloch American Congress (BAC) has expressed “shock and anguish” over the death of renowned political activist Karima Baloch in Canada and asked the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to investigate the tragedy.
In a statement, BAC founder Dr Tara Chand said, “Karima Baloch was a trail blazer who paved the way for women to take part in the struggle for national emancipation of the Baloch people.”
Karima Baloch, who was among the BBC’s list of 100 accomplished women worldwide in 2016, was found drowned on 21st December in mysterious circumstances in Harbourfront near Toronto’s lakeshore. Karima Baloch, who was the first female chairperson of the Baloch Students Organization Azad (BSO-A), had sought asylum in Canada.
“The death of Karima Baloch has raised genuine questions and concerns. Earlier in the year, renowned Baloch editor Sajid Hussain was found drowned in Sweden and now Karima Baloch has died in the same way. The common thread in both deaths were the two were fighting for the rights of the Baloch people,” Dr Tara Chand said.
He added: “former Pakistan army dictator General Pervez Musharraf had on record said his men can silence Baloch dissidents on foreign soil while Karima Baloch had expressed concern over the settling of Pakistan army officials in Canada and had declared it as a threat to the lives of political refugees.”
“It is therefore incumbent upon the Canadian government to fully investigate Karima Baloch’s death.” Dr Tara Chand demanded and called Karima Baloch’s death an irreparable loss for Balochistan.
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest mineral rich province in the southwest where Baloch people have faced brutal military crackdowns to crush their desire for “freedom from Pakistan”. Many close relatives of Karima Baloch have been killed by the Pakistan army in Balochistan. Likewise, the BSO-A has lost scores of its members to the Pakistan army and intelligence services infamous kill and dump policy that is still ongoing.