Life and Death of Karima Baloch, a historic voice of Balochistan

Karima Baloch - A Timeline of Murder

Karima Baloch (born: Karima Mehrab) was a human rights activist, who campaigned against the persecution of Baloch people and the rampant state abductions in Balochistan. Her activism Illuminated an issue in the face of state imposed media blackout in local and often in foreign media. Karima was the first woman to chair the Baloch Students Organization in 2014. Enlisted by BBC’s 100 most influential people, Karima received global attention for her criticism of the long insurgency and state abductions in the province of Balochistan. Her bold work and activism lead Karima’s relationship with the Pakistani state to be fraught with threats to her well-being. She sought political asylum in Canada to escape persecution. 

On Sunday, December 20, 2020 Karima went missing. Family lodged a police complaint and after an exhaustive search, her body was recovered from Lake Ontario. The news of Karima's death shocked her family, friends and activists everywhere. It was followed by protests across Europe and North America.

View more details by clicking the years.

2006

• June 2006: Karima steps into her role as an activist as a member of Baloch Students Organization, a student political party formed in 1967.

• August 14, 2006: Karima organizes a rally against Pakistan military’s aggression in Turbat, Balochistan. The rally is attacked by state officials. Following the attack, Karima and other leaders of BSO hold a press conference in Turbat, surrounded by hundreds of military personnel.

2007

• February 2007: Pakistani military and intelligence agencies attempt to arrest Karima but she is not at home.

• March 2007: Wahid Qamber, an uncle of Karima, is arrested, imprisoned, and tortured for nine months.

2008

• August 2008: Karima’s house is raided again but she is in Quetta at the time attending a protest against state abductions. Karima is elected as the first female Junior Vice Chairperson of the Baloch Students Organization in 2008.

2009

• June 2, 2009: The state registers an FIR against Karima at Turbat police station. She is put behind bars for three years and fined around US$1,800 by the anti-terrorism court in Turbat for speaking against state abductions.

2010

• March 15, 2010: Another anti-terrorism court issues Karima a warrant and sentences her to five years in prison.

2011

• August 8, 2011: Karim Jan, Karima’s cousin, is abducted. His mutilated body is discovered 55 days later on the outskirts of Turbat.

• July 2011: Bakhshi aka Ibrahim Saleh, Karima cousin’s husband, is abducted and released. He is later killed.

2012

• June 2012: Karima conducts the 19th national council session and is elected the Senior Vice President of the BSO.

2013

• March 15, 2013: The BSO is banned and declared a terrorist group by Pakistan.

2014

• March 18, 2014: Karima becomes the acting president of BSO after the abduction of Zahid Baloch, then president of the organization.

• July 26, 2014: Karima’s house is attacked.

• Nov 2, 2014: Karima’s cousin, Ali, is abducted from his house in Karachi. He is tortured and kept in the military cells for a month. He is investigated about Karima’s whereabouts during his time in custody.

2015

• March 24, 2015: Karima’s house in Tump village is attacked with mortar shells.

• May 26, 2015: Karima’s house is attacked a second time.

• November 2015: Karima is elected as the first-ever woman chairperson of BSO, making history. The same month she leaves Balochistan amid death threats, seeking asylum in Canada.

2016

• January 12, 2016: Karima applies for political asylum and is issued a Refugee Protection Claimant Document.

• March 18, 2016: Karima writes a letter to Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to assert diplomatic pressure on the Pakistani government to end human rights violations in Balochistan.

• April 27, 2016: Adil Anwar, Karima’s cousin, is abducted. He is tortured and released later.

• August 2016: Akeel Dost Muhammad, another cousin, is abducted. He is tortured for 10 days and released.

• August 21, 2016: Karima is booked under false charges at the Khuzdar Police station.

• October 27, 2016: Karima’s application for asylum is suspended by the Canada Border Security Agency. An investigation about her affiliation with BSO and political activism in Balochistan is initiated.

• November 2016: Karima Baloch is included in BBC’s “100 Women 2016” list for her work.

2017

• December 2017: Karima receives a call that threatens to harm her uncle, Noor Mohammad, if Karima does not return to Pakistan.

2018

• January 2, 2018: Her uncle, Noor Mohammad, is killed and his body is found in Karima’s hometown, Tump.

• January 4, 2018: Karima’s claim for political asylum is approved during a court hearing in Montreal.

2020

• October 27, 2020: Karima Baloch is trolled online.

• December 14, 2020: Karima Baloch tweets for the last time, sharing a news article of The Guardian titled “Kidnap, torture murder: the plight of Pakistan’s thousands of disappeared”.

• December 20, 2020: Karima Baloch is last seen in Bay Street and Queens Quay West area of Toronto.

• December 22, 2020: Karima Baloch is found dead in Toronto, Canada.

• December 24, 2020: Karima Baloch’s brother, Sameer Mehrab, urges Canadian authorities to conduct a higher level investigation into her death.

2021

• January 24, 2021: Karima Baloch’s body is sent to Karachi airport by Pakistani Authorities via a chartered flight, against the family’s will.

  Karima Baloch’s brother accuses Pakistan High Commission in Ottawa of leaking confidential information, including her family’s address in Canada, to online trolls who used the information to issue threats.

  Fellow activists and friends of Karima wait at the airport to receive her body, but the authorities refuse to hand over the casket. Karima is kept in a locked container store as loved ones continue to search for her.

  Karima’s body is transferred to an ambulance at Ab Chauki by Pakistan state authorities, as loved ones continue to trail their car to get a glimpse.

  Loved ones are told that Karima would be “buried like Bugti” if they keep up attempts to see her. Authorities physically assault local Baloch who had gathered to welcome her in memory. The group includes minors. A Gwadar SHO is suspended for saluting Karima’s body.

  The authorities do not allow loved ones to hold a funeral procession for Karima. They accuse her of being an agent of the Balochistan Liberation Army*, and threaten the drivers who are following their vehicles with death. They mention that women passengers who want to see Karima would also be killed if they do not give up chase. The registration numbers of their vehicles are noted down and they are forbidden to travel beyond Nasrabad.

  The authorities reach Karima’s hometown, Tump, at 7:00 pm. They surround her family home, and threaten family members to immediately bury her without any rituals.

• January 25, 2021: Karima Baloch is laid to rest.

  Loved ones continue to struggle to get a glimpse of her. Around 6:00 pm, they gather in a procession to travel to Tump, hoping to find strength in numbers.

  They are stopped at a government checkpoint, where the party is physically attacked and given death threats. They are taken in for questioning by military officials who humiliate them.

  The party reaches Karima’s house at 3:00 pm, but Karima has already been buried by then.

  People leave flowers and flags on Karima’s grave, which the authorities forcefully remove.

• January 29, 2021: Karima Baloch’s relatives are assaulted by FC soldiers for attempting to offer prayers at her grave.

*Balochistan Liberation Army is a militant group that has been listed as a terrorist organization by the states of Pakistan, United Kingdom, and United States of America.

**The details of Karima's posthumous treatment were collected through interviews from sources who wish to remain anonymous.