Karima Baloch, activist and thorn in Pakistan's side, found mysteriously dead in Canada

Karima Baloch, an activist and former chairperson of Baloch Students Organisation – Azad who had been vocal about Pakistan Army and government atrocities in Balochistan, has been found dead in Toronto Canada, according to Balochistan Post.

Karima was a Canadian refugee and named as one of world's 100 most "inspirational and influential" women in 2016 by BBC. She had gone missing on Sunday and was last seen at approximately 3 pm on same day. Toronto Police had requested for public assistance in locating her. However, w her family has confirmed that Karima's body has been found.

A staunch critic of Pakistan govt

Karima Baloch, a famous personality in Balochistan, is believed to be pioneer of women activism re. She has also raised issue of Balochistan in United Nations sessions in Switzerland. In an interview in May 2019, she had accused Pakistan of taking away resources and eliminating people of Balochistan, province with immense geo-strategic importance and huge untapped natural resource reserves.

Balochistan Post said that sudden death of activist has raised serious concern. This is t first case that Pakistani dissident has been found dead. In May, Baloch journalist Sajid Hussain was found dead in Sweden. He had been missing from city of Uppsala since March 2. Reporters without Borders (RSF), a Paris-based journalists’ organisation, alleged that Hussain’s mysterious disappearance and subsequent death could have been organized by Pakistani intelligence ncies – ISI and MI (Military Intelligence) – due to his work as a journalist.

In 2016, she had also sent a Raksha Bandhan mess to PM Narendra Modi on behalf of her Balochistan sisters who lost ir brors. 

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dissidents and critics of Pakistan authorities, who are living in exile are under constant fear as criticism of military in Pakistan has always been frowned upon. People who criticise military and its policies are harassed by ncies.  

Balochistan is a restive province where Pakistani Army is accused of indulging in gross human rights violations including abducting and killing of incents. Resource-rich Balochistan has been gripped by an insurgency for more than 15 years. Thousands of Baloch political activists in order to avoid persecution escaped from Balochistan and are compelled to seek asylum in European counties; journalists and human rights activists are among se asylum seekers.

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(With ncy inputs)