Karachi: Shari Baloch is trending on social media and has hit the media headlines after she blew herself up and killed 3 Chinese officials and a Pakistani here yesterday.
30-year-old Shari was a woman freedom fighter of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and became the first suicide bomber of the outfit, marking a new chapter in its struggle for freedom of Balochistan from Pakistan.
But who is Shari?
Shari was a highly educated woman, married to a dentist Habitan Bashir Baloch. She was a mother of two small children; 8-year-old girl Mahrosh and 4-year-old son Meer Hassan.
Hailing from Niazar Abad in the Turbat district of Balochistan, she had an M.Sc degree in Zoology and was studying M.Phil in Education. She was also working as a science teacher in a secondary school.
In a tweet posted at 1.22 am today, Habitan has expressed pride over what his wife did.
“Shari Jan, your selfless act has left me speechless but I am also beaming with pride today. Mahroch and Meer Hassan will grow into very proud humans thinking what a great woman their mother was. You will continue to remain an important part of our lives,” the husband tweeted for his martyr wife.
So, if she was having a happily married life and family, Why did she take such an extreme step?
The answer perhaps lies in the developments dating back several years. The reason clearly is the revenge for extreme atrocities committed by Pakistani forces and their agents against her and other Baloch people.
It was nearly one-and-a-half decades back that Shari’s innocent father Abdul Waheed Qamber was picked up by the Pakistani military men for no fault of his. Shari was a small child at that time, like her two kids.
Also, Read 3 Chinese, 1 Pakistani national was killed in the Karachi suicide attack by BLA’s first woman bomber
Since then, his whereabouts are not known.
The loving daughter tried all the legal means to get her father back but failed.
She addressed press conferences, telling the world about her father’s ‘enforced disappearance’.
She even staged hunger strikes for days to demand the return of her father.
Also, Read Balochistan: BNA says it killed 3 Pakistani military men
As a teenager, she even wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan in 2009, requesting help in getting her father back.
All these efforts yielded no results and the atrocities by Pakistani forces, meanwhile, increased and intensified.
It’s then that she decided to join the BLA’S Majeed Brigade, a unit of the outfit which specializes in suicide attacks.
Yesterday, afternoon, burqa-clad and explosives-laded Shari positioned herself outside the gate of Karachi University’s Confucius Institute, which has been built with China’s support.
She waited for a van, carrying the Chinese officials, and as soon as it reached there, she blew herself up.
Chinese officials Huang Guiping, Ding Mufang, and Chen Sai were killed in the attack, whereas, Wang Yuqing and their security guards were injured.
Before carrying out the attack, Shari posted tweets with victory signs and saying ‘farewell’.
BLA spokesman Jeeyand Baloch said Shari alias Bramsh “sacrificed herself for a better future of the Baloch nation. She added a new chapter to the Baloch resistance history by becoming the first female fidayee of the Baloch nation.”
“As a student, Shari had remained a member of Baloch students organization, and was aware of Baloch genocide and occupation of Balochistan,” Jeeyand Baloch said in a statement emailed to NVI.
Shari joined Majeed Brigade two years ago and voluntarily signed up for a self-sacrificing mission, he said.
Following Brigade’s established procedures, she was given time to revisit her decision.
During these two years, Shari rendered her services in different units of the Majeed Brigade.
“Six months ago she confirmed that she continues to stand by her decision of carrying out a self-sacrificing attack. After that she was actively involved in her mission,” Jeeyand Baloch added.
“Despite being the mother of two young children, Shari Baloch did not let her motherhood become a hurdle in performing her national duty…. with the successful mission she set new standards of gallantry, sacrifice, and awareness. Baloch Liberation Army and the Baloch nation will always hold Shaari with the highest esteem,” he said.
About targeting the Director and officials of Confucius institute, the BLA spokesman said the institute is “a symbol of Chinese economic, cultural and political expansionism”.
The attack “was to give a clear message to China that its direct or indirect presence in Balochistan will not be tolerated.”
He recalled that BLA has “warned China several times to refrain from looting Baloch resources and aiding Pakistan militarily and financially in carrying out Baloch genocide. However, China continues to be involved in its expansionist designs in Balochistan.”
He said Baloch Liberation Army “once again warns China to immediately halt its exploitation projects and refrain from aiding the occupying Pakistani state. Otherwise, our future attacks will be even harsher.”
He said hundreds of highly trained male and female members of Baloch Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade are ready to carry out deadly attacks in any part of Balochistan and Pakistan.
“We want to tell Pakistan to immediately stop Baloch genocide, peacefully withdraw from Balochistan and recognize Baloch motherland’s independence, or else be ready for further attacks.”
