New Delhi (NVI): Human rights activist Karima Baloch, who was found killed in Canada in mysterious circumstances, was laid to rest in her hometown in Tump, Balochistan amid tight security and restrictions by Pakistani authorities as public was not allowed to attend her last rites or pay tributes.
Only close relatives of Karima were allowed to attend her burial and the whole Tump town was put under curfew by Pakistani forces, reports The Balochistan Post.
The 37-year-old’s body was flown to Karachi from Canada yesterday and was illegally and forcefully escorted in Pakistan without the consent of her family members, her brother Sameer Mehrab said in a series if tweets.
According to Human rights and Baloch activists, Pakistani troops sealed off her village in Tump and prevented her supporters from attending her burial.
Yesterday, Karima’s brother Mehrab said that Pakistani authorities had deployed forces to escort the convoy carrying the deceased human rights activist’s body, to avoid the press and people who had come to Karachi city to pay their last tributes.
As soon as Karima’s body arrived at Karachi airport yesterday, it was “hijacked” by Pakistani authorities even as the family members protested that her body should be handed over to them and that they don’t need any assistance and have arranged for transportation.
Protests were also held in Balochistan today against Pakistani action of forcibly escorting Karima Baloch’s body and detaining he family members from Karachi airport.
Human Rights for South Asia also strongly condemned the “hijacking” of Karima’s dead body, terming it as a shameful act. “Strongly condemn the hijacking of human rights activist #KarimaBaloch’s dead body by Pakistani authorities. This is shameful and inhuman act,” the human rights body said in a tweet.
A vocal critic of the Pakistan government, Karima Baloch had actively worked to highlight human rights violations perpetrated upon people in Balochistan. Her death was condemned by human rights groups and world leaders while protests over her assassination still continue.
The prominent Baloch rights activist was last seen on December 20 in the Bay Street and Queens Quay West area in Toronto, at approximately 3 pm, according to The Balochistan Post. Hours later, she was found dead in mysterious circumstances.
This is yet another suspected political assassination carried out by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, which is silencing Baloch voices for freedom in Pakistan as well as across the world.
-ARK
