Pakistan immediately approached Canada over activist Karima Baloch's death: official

Pakistan immediately approached the Canadian authorities over the death of political activist Karima Baloch who was found dead in Toronto, a senior official said here on Tuesday. Baloch, who campaigned extensively against disappearances and human rights violations in the troubled Balochistan province, was found dead on Tuesday. The 37-year-old activist, who was living in exile in Canada for about five years, had gone missing on Sunday.

In its first response to her death, Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said at a weekly briefing that Pakistan had immediately approached the Canadian authorities. ''Immediately upon learning about the issue, the Consulate General of Pakistan in Toronto requested the Toronto Police to share information and details of the cause of her death,'' he said.

He said the Toronto Police investigated the circumstance and its ''officers have determined this to be a non-criminal death and no foul play is suspected.'' Chaudhri said Baloch's ''family has been updated'' about the situation. However, he did not give any more details. Baloch, a critic of the Pakistani government and powerful military, had campaigned extensively against disappearances and human rights violations in Balochistan.

In 2016, she was named on BBC’s list of 100 inspirational women. At 30, Baloch was the first woman to become the leader of the Balochistan Student Organisation, the channel said. She left Pakistan in 2015, after terrorism charges were levelled against her. Her family said she had been given death threats.

Her sister told the BBC Urdu service on Tuesday that her death was ''not only a tragedy for the family, but also for the Baloch national movement''. The Balochistan National Movement has announced a 40-day mourning period.