The resentment surrounding the “abduction” of activist Karima Baloch’s dead body by the Pakistani security forces finally made headway into the Pakistani senate. The opposition and the government had an argument, the former claiming that that the body had been “abducted” and the latter retorting that it had merely been “escorted.”
Activist Karima Baloch, who had died in Canada under mysterious circumstances a few weeks earlier, was finally laid to rest in her hometown Tump on Monday. Only her immediate family members and relatives were allowed to attend the funeral services. Pakistani security forces barred outsiders from entering the area.
Speaking on the issue in the Pakistani Senate on Monday, Senator Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini of the Balochistan National Party Mengal (BNP-Mengal), said that the dead body of the Karima Baloch had been “abducted” from the airport and her family had not been allowed to accompany her. He said that everyone wanted to attend the funeral prayer, but the entire Makran had been cordoned off and the cellular services shut.
“The security agencies are afraid of a dead body … of a graveyard,” Jamaldini said.
The senator said that: “Karima hadn’t arrived to fight or to conquer Makuran. Karima Baloch’s body was disrespected.”
He said that a shutter-down strike is being observed in Balochistan. Such actions will keep giving rise to “hatred.”
Senator Rukhsana Zuberi agreed with Jamildini, saying that: “Whatever [he] said regarding Karima Baloch was true; we agree with him.”
Senator Usman Kakar of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party also agreed with Jamildini, saying that the “courageous” Karima Baloch had been “martyred” in exile. We condemn the government’s behaviour; we share the pain of the family. “She was deprived of the right of a proper burial”, he said.
Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar of the ruling Balochistan Awami Party disregarded the allegations, saying that Karima Baloch and her supporters had “announced a war” and taken weapons against Pakistan. He also said that Karima Baloch had appealed to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for help on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. “Karima Baloch believed in ending Pakistan”, he said.
Disagreeing with Jamaldini, Anwarul Haq said that the dead body of Karima Baloch had not been “abducted”, but safely escorted from Karachi to Balochistan, as an “unpleasant incident” could take place.
He said that those accusing the Pakistani state of engineering the death of Karima Baloch could not provide evidence in support of their claims when the Canadian police ruled no foul play in her death.
Pakistan Tehreek Insaf Senator Fida Muhammad in his remarks advised his fellow lawmaker of refraining from “doing politics” on deceased people. He said that some people wanted to take Karima’s coffin to Lyari for political reasons.