[ad_1]
Article content continued
The news that she was dead came out of reports in foreign media. Toronto Police plan to issue news release to update this tragic case.
Although police would not confirm it, sources say it is believed to be a suicide.
Mehrab was well known in international circles for standing against women wearing niqabs and taking on extremism. She was a key play in Balochi separatism goals which led to charges against her by authorities in Pakistan.
In 2016, she was named in the BBC’s annual list of the top 100 most influential people.
In a Toronto Sun column that same year, Tarek Fatah wrote of her brave heroism.
“I knew I was safe and that I did not have to hide from anyone in Canada,” she said in an interview. “Wearing the niqab is oppressive. The niqab that is nowadays being forced onto Muslim women has no basis in Baloch culture or history. Every time I had to wear it to hide myself, I felt I was less of a human, more of a farm animal, a piece of property owned by someone else.”
She told Fatah she escaped from Pakistan as a result of “extra-judicial killings of political activists in Balochistan.”
International media reports that “the Balochistan National Movement (BNM) announced a 40-day mourning period” and Amnesty International’s South Asia office tweeted her death “in Toronto, Canada is deeply shocking and must be immediately and effectively investigated.”
Professor and journalist Kiran Nazish tweeted Monday: “Shocked, and devastated. Leading #Baloch activist, and my friend #KarimaBaloch found dead in #Toronto today. She went missing yesterday (#Sunday, the 20th of #Dec). Karima was #fierce, #compassionate, and #wise. Here’s her innocent but thoughtful face in my living room this Oct.”
[ad_2]
Source link
