*
*
A few days ago before her suspicious death, Hammal Haidar, the husband of Karima Baloch had ironically retweeted a news like this.
*
NOTE: Image Copyright © TVTS.in
*
Transcript of the Podcast:
Karima Baloch was a Balochistan freedom fighter and a Pakistani dissident. She was living in exile in Canada since 2016. Last month, her body was found in a river in the city of Toronto, Canada. She was only 37.
Police said there were “not believed to be any suspicious circumstances”.
But here’s her story.
Karima was a vocal critic of the Pakistani military and state and was routinely speaking against the persecution of Baloch people on their own land. She was raising her voice for the 1000’s and 1000’s of men and women that are kidnapped or killed on a daily basis.
Where is Balochistan and what’s the big deal about it?
Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan and also home to the ethnical minority of Baloch people. Balochistan has been leading an independence movement for a long time to free itself from the occupation of Pakistan. The military endorses forced disappearances of those who speak against the Pakistan military.
This long-running separatist insurgency has forced its citizens to pick up arms to defend their land and their livelihood.
Karima first became an activist in 2005, when she attended a protest over missing persons carrying a picture of one of her missing relatives. She eventually went onto become the first female head of the Baloch Students’ Organisation (BSO) – a banned activist group.
Soon open activism in Pakistan had become impossible for her and Pakistan levelled terrorism charges against her. In 2016, she applied for asylum in Canada which was first rejected. The grounds were “subversion against the Pakistani government”. It was later granted.
In the same year, 2016, Karima was named as BBC’s 100 most inspirational and influential women for her work in human rights.
Since moving to Canada, Baloch had continued to be the voice of human right violations in and around Balochistan by the Pakistan military.
She had been trolled and has been receiving death threats from unknown Pakistani numbers on WhatsApp until her death. As recent as Christmas, she had a warning that someone would send her a “Christmas gift” to teach her a lesson.
Yet, the Canada police have ruled Karima’s death a “non-criminal death”.
And here’s the point. Like so many Pakistani dissidents that go missing or hunted to death, the same brothers and sisters that Karima was raising her voice for, Karima seems like she was hunted to death. Baloch activists who raise a voice for the fundamental rights of their fellow Balochis routinely get silenced through violent means.
Karima is the second Pakistani dissident from Balochistan living in exile to be found dead in 2020. In May of 2020, Sajid Hussain, a journalist who wrote about human rights violations in Balochistan, was found dead in a river in Sweden, where he had sought asylum after threats to his life in Pakistan.
So, here’s are my questions.
Just how many Karimas will have to die before nations around the world will start granting its citizens their basic right to live a life of freedom and liberty?
If the first world is not immune to such covert violence, then where in the world are we guaranteed free speech.
I want us to think and thank all our heroes who’re laying their lives for us, so we can live in a better, safer world. Thank you.
* * *
About The Article Author:
Our mission with FutureSTRONG Academy – to grow children who respect themselves, their time and their capabilities in a world where distractions are just a click or a swipe away.
I see myself as an advocate for bringing social, emotional and character development to families, schools and communities. I never want to let this idea out of my sight – Our children are not just GPAs. I’m a Writer and a Certified Master Coach in NLP and CBT. Until 2017, I was also a Big Data Scientist. In December of 2044, I hope to win the Nobel. Namasté.
Write to me or call me. Tell me what support from me looks like.
Rachana Nadella-Somayajula,
Program Director & Essential Life Skills Coach for Kids and Busy Parents
Essays On Life
Why We See Outrage, How Hope Helps And Handling The Stressors Of Life
True heroism is minutes, hours, weeks, year upon year of the quiet, precise, judicious exercise of probity and care-with no one there to see or cheer. This is the world. ~ David Foster Wallace
Digital Citizenship: What It Is, How To Learn It, And The Resources You Need
* Technological Literacy or Digital Citizenship is the wealth of knowledge that we all need in order to be good citizens of the digital age. We all have a playbook for how to live in the real world, and digital citizenship guidelines allow us to understand the...
14 Powerful Quotes From The Book, The Big Disconnect – Sustainable Family For The Digital Age
* Quotable Quotes From The Big Disconnect: Excerpts From the book, The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age By Catherine Steiner-Adair EdD. It's a powerful reminder to understand how to protect childhood and family...
What Are Brain Breaks And Why Does Everyone Need Them?
* Brain breaks or mental speed bumps are focused attention activities that give brains a break from intense mentally challenging lessons children are expected to learn every day. They are good for us adults too because so much is expected out of us each day....
Why Fear Death When It Can Be The Biggest Motivator Of All
* Our Relationship With Immortality: People who don’t know what to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon want to live forever. That’s the lure of immortality. All throughout our lives, we strive for wealth, fame, knowledge and happiness. We also long for immortality...
A To Z About Tech Behavioral Disorders, Managing Addictions, And Their Impact On Relationships And Productivity
* Our digital landscape is changing day after day. And here are some urgent burning questions along with their answers. Please click below to learn more. 1) Why is Technology Addiction or Digital Addiction a problem at all? Can’t I have my hobby or interest? 2)...
Understanding Relationship Etiquette In A World Of Faceless Usernames And Two Dimensional Emojis
* How We Learnt FOMO: Listen, I have nothing against technology. I can turn on and off the lights in my house from 200 miles away if I need to. During the pandemic, we bought a new car without ever stepping out of the house. What’s more, I don't have to wait...
Why And How To Develop Resourcefulness
* It’s a fact that we will never have the time or the expertise to solve all of our problems. We must somehow then become creative with our problem solving capabilities. That's where the skill of resourcefulness comes into play. When we’re resourceful, we can...
A Whole Family Digital Health Reset Is Just A Few Action Steps Away
* Signs of Parental Anguish: Children and adults are using screens as a coping mechanism. There's a lot of technoference in our lives and we are having to combat it constantly. This is our new normal from the past decade in familial and professional settings....
These Studies Show The Dangerous Effects Of Distracted Parents On Children’s Wellbeing
* Hyper-Connected Parents; Dis Connected Progeny: Our children are addicted and so are we, that's the tragic situation of our world in the digital disruption age. We would rather be somewhere else rather than in the present moment, atleast that's what our...
4 Wellness Essentials for Parents and Caregivers
* Child Care Doesn't Have To Be Stressful: Being a parent or caregiver can be an incredibly rewarding role, but there’s no denying that it isn’t an easy one. According to a new poll by the Pew Research Center, about four in ten parents (41%) in the US say...
Here’s How To Preserve A Keen Sense Of Wellbeing On A Daily Basis
* Let’s Define Wellbeing: As humans, we’re driven by this singular goal. What do you want in life? Ask anyone and surely most times it will be a “I just want to be happy!” So, let’s see how our happiness is determined by how we feel about ourselves on a daily...
Questions, just ask!
Text or Call: 678.310.5025 | Email: info@futurestrongacademy.com
Bringing a Group? Email us for a special price!