The first woman Chairperson of the Baloch Students Organization, Karima Baloch, made a surprise public appearance in an Amnesty International event in the Canadian city of Toronto today (Saturday).
She was attending the AI’s Rights for Rights event and discussed the Balochistan’s issue with AI’s Canadian officials.
She was photographed without her trademark veil, showing her face to the media for the first time.
According to BT sources, she arrived in Canada on 27th November, 2015. She intends to seek refuge in the country to highlight the Balochistan issue more effectively at an international level.
She met the AI’s official Elizabeth Berton-Hunter in a one-to-one meeting on the sidelines of the event.
She strongly urged the human rights watchdog’s official to raise the issue of some 40 Baloch women abducted by Pakistan military from Balochistan’s Bolan areas. She also urged her to highlight the infamous kill-and-dump operations of Pakistan army in Balochistan.
The AI official promised to raise these issues with their head office and form a fact-finding mission, if necessary.
The human rights watchdog’s social media team tweeted a photo of an Elizabeth holding a poster of Zahid Baloch along with Karima Baloch , saying:
“@KarimaBaloch chairperson of BSO-Azad is here w/ us 2 tell about abducted leader Zahid Baloch #RightsforRights”.
Karima is an eyewitness to the abduction of former BSO chairman Zahid Baloch and she intends to record her eyewitness account with AI. The AI officials assured her to record her testimony in Zahid Baloch’s case.
The event was followed by a protest by Baloch activists, led by Karima, to raise awareness about human rights abuses in Balochistan.
Karima addressed the demonstration in Balochi while holding a placard with Zahid Baloch’s photo on it. She said the main purpose of the protest was to raise the issue of missing Baloch women and highlight Zahid Baloch’s case.
“Pakistan is declaring the Baloch nation as terrorists but we are struggling for our freedom,” she added.
Karima we are endebtedto Tariq Fateh & great Canadian people for welcoming you . You’re the Pride of Balochistan.Millions of suffering masses of Baloch nation have elected & entrusted u task to apprise the people abroad about the most heinous crimes committed by PakArmy against unarmed civilians; mostly women & children. We assure you our solidarity & unhesitating support in your most humanitarian cause of apprising the world about the real situation in Balochistan. JKBALOCH.
We proud of you banok karima baloch who is the first chairperson of baloch students organisation (Azad) and the first baloch female leader working abroad Canada
I wish Karima the best of luck. I will be glad to host her here in Montreal if she ever comes. I am a past President. India Canada Association of Montreal, which is the first organization of immigrants and students from India in Canada.
I will love to help Karima any way I can.