World News – CA – Karima Baloch: Pakistani human rights activists “death” not criminal, “Toronto police say

Christy Somos
CTVNewsca writer

@C_Somos
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TORONTO –
The death of the well-known Pakistani right-wing activist, 37-year-old Karima Baloch, is being treated as “non-criminal”, according to Toronto police

Baluch is said to have disappeared around 3:00 p.m. on Sunday in the Bay Street and Queens Quay West area

The Toronto police called for information early Monday morning and asked anyone who saw them to come forward

Police tweeted an update later that day, saying that she had been “found” Another release later confirmed that she had been found

In an email to CP24, a press officer confirmed that Baluch had been found dead and that it was “being investigated as a non-criminal death” and that “there were no suspicious circumstances” ”

Baluch was an activist from the Balochistan region of western Pakistan and a vocal critic of the Pakistani military and the state establishment

She was well known and, according to the BBC, the first female leader of the banned activist group Baloch Student’s Organization. Other members of her extended family with ties to the activist movement have disappeared and were later found dead

Earlier this year, another Baloch exile and relative of Ms. Sajid Hussain, a journalist from Baluch, was found dead in Sweden, where he had applied for political asylum from Pakistan two months after his disappearance

Activists say Baloch protesters are being attacked by the Pakistani military – a claim they deny

Baloch left Pakistan in 2015 and applied for asylum in Canada in 2016 after she was charged with terrorism

In 2016, Baluch was recognized for her work as one of the BBC’s “annual lists of 100 inspiring and influential women” and has worked tirelessly for the rights of people who live online and personally in Balochistan, including in exile

A friend of Baloch told the BBC that she continued to threaten her, including a recent warning that someone would send her a Christmas present and teach her a lesson ’”

The last Baloch shared on Twitter was a Guardian article describing the “plight of the thousands of people missing in Pakistan” ”

According to a report by the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, between 1980 and 2019 there were 1,144 “disappearances” allegations from Pakistan – 731 of which are still missing, and activists say many cases will never reach a UN committee. p>

The reaction to Baluch’s death has led to an increase in grief and demands for justice in the public and in activist areas

Amnesty International South Asia tweeted, “The death of activist Karima Baloch in Toronto, Canada is deeply shocking and needs immediate and effective investigation”

Shocked and Devastated The #Baloch Leading Activist and my friend #KarimaBaloch were found dead in #Toronto today.She disappeared yesterday (#Sunday 20th March) by #Dec) Karima was fierce, compassionate and wise Here is her innocent but thoughtful face in my living room in October BildTwittercom / Qerk2bveFB

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Karima Baloch