The dispute with India over Canada’s support for Khalistani sympathizer Hardeep Singh Nanjar and his killing angered not only the latter but also the Baloch Human Rights Council of Canada (BHRC) which “acted” in the abduction and alleged murder. “lack” was questioned. Exiled Baloch human rights activist Karima Baloch in 2020.
Accusing Trudeau of playing politics and ignoring Baloch’s death, the BHRC, in a letter to the Canadian prime minister, said that his government is “insensitive” to the mysterious death of Balochistan rights activist and security guard Fard Karima. There were “perceived inconsistencies” in the response. Baloch, in December 2020, in Toronto”.
Claiming that there is a “stark contrast” with the Canadian government’s actions on the pro-Khalistan leader, the letter says Trudeau’s apparent silence on the high-profile, unexplained death of Karima Baloch is in stark contrast to his emotional speeches. The opposite is true. Extensive media coverage of the shooting death of Hardeep Singh Najjar in the House of Commons and Canada”.
Who was Karima Baloch?
A Balochistan rights activist, Karima Baloch was fighting for the rights of the people of Balochistan with the government of Pakistan.
She was the first chair of the Baloch Students Organization (BSO-Azad), a political student organization, and was known for taking up the cause of enforced disappearances among Baloch activists.
A leading critic of the Pakistani military and inter-services intelligence, Baloch was granted asylum in Canada after facing terrorism charges in Pakistan.
In 2020, after going missing, Baloch was found dead in a river in Sweden, becoming the second Baloch activist to die in exile that year.
What did his family say?
As police ruled out foul play, Baloch’s husband Himal Haider, also a Pakistani activist living in exile, said: “I can’t believe it was a suicide. She was a strong woman and She left the house in a good mood.”
He had added: “We cannot rule out foul play because he is under threat. He left Pakistan because his house was raided more than twice. His uncle was killed. He is active and Threatened to quit political activities, she refused and fled to Canada.
Canada’s answer
Unlike Najjar’s case, where Trudeau did not shy away from escalating diplomatic tensions, Baloch’s death was swept under the rug and Canadian police called the death “non-criminal” despite allegations of foul play.
“The circumstances have been investigated and officers have determined that this is a non-criminal death and foul play is not suspected,” the Toronto Police Department said in a brief statement.
Carpenter’s row
Tensions flared between India and Canada after Trudeau’s explosive allegations of the “possible” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Najjar on his country’s soil on June 18 in British Columbia. India designated Najjar as a terrorist in 2020.
India angrily dismissed the allegations as “ridiculous” and “encouraged” and expelled a top Canadian diplomat after Ottawa expelled an Indian official over the matter. “Certainly, there are credible allegations that we as Canadians and indeed as a world need to take very seriously,” Trudeau said when asked if the evidence he suggested was extensive in the case.
Trudeau also said his government is not trying to provoke or create problems. “There is no question that India is a country of increasing importance and a country that we need to work with not just in the region but globally. We are not trying to provoke or create problems. But we are unclear about the importance of the rule of law and unclear about the importance of protecting Canadians.
“We therefore request the Government of India to work with us to discover and uncover the truth of the matter and allow justice and accountability,” he added.