Naela Quadri Baloch

Prof. Naela Quadri Baloch is a Baloch politician, activist, Women's rights activist, writer, poet and gives lectures internationally on Baloch rights. July 18, 1965 born in Shaal (Quetta) Balochistan. She is daughter of Syed Ahmad Quadri, a well known lawyer and activist for Baloch national rights since 1956, NAP. Her mother Bibi Gul Zarina was an activist for women’s development, founder of the first indigenous NGO Gidan in Balochistan; established many girls’ schools and women’s entrepreneurs in rural areas in 1960s. Professor Naela is married and mother of 3 sons.  1973 Naela Quadri established a unit of Baloch Students Organization at the age of 8 years in grade 5, in her girl’s school during Bhutto military operation on Balochistan; though very tiny but was the first step in formal female participation in Baloch mass politics.  1978 she won High school students union elections for the office of President.  1981 Zia Marshal Law, she initiated protests from the GGC Government Girls Collage Quetta, against death sentence of a Baloch student activist Hameed Baloch by Military court, the protest spread all over Balochistan in form of student’s protests, shutter down and wheel jam. She received threats from the Martial Law Administrator who further ordered cancellation of her enrolment, her name struck off from Grade 12, GGC Quetta.  1983-1987 Naela Quadri lead student’s movement in Balochistan against Zia marshal law as leader of Baloch Student Organization, University of Balochistan.  1984 she started the first campaign ever in Baloch history against Honor killing as a young activist who faced resistance from tribal mindset, still it is a deep rooted custom in Baloch society taking hundreds of lives every year in which 80% are women as the most vulnerable part of society. She worked with assertiveness to eradicate this custom, by writing articles, producing programs for television and radio, public meetings, lobbying with tribal leaders, political parties, NGOs and the United Nations.  1988-1990 Lead historical students movement against pro dictatorship religious extremist party Jamat e Islami’s rule and hold in Punjab University Lahore as Vice President of Progressive Students Forum PSF that changed the socio-political culture of the oldest and largest university of the country.  1992 started teaching in University of Balochistan.  1995 her film against honorkilling “Home Victim” selected for the Fourth World Conference for Women Beijing China, achieved applaud of 40,000 women activists of the world resulted in prompt inclusion of honorkilling as the priority issue of Violence Against Women one of the 12 sections for women’s development in the declaration of UN Beijing 1995.  1998 she lead a protest march against Pakistan’s nuclear tests with her two hundred students in Shaal (Quetta) Balochistan. It was the first public protest in South Asia against its nuclearization, she faced threats of imprisonment from government of Pakistan, and her service record got negative remarks and received Show-Cause Notice from the University administration on directions of ISI.

1999 she delivered a presentation on nuclearization of South Asia in an international conference, Meiji Guakin University Tokyo Japan, she clearly indicated the role of China 2 in Pakistan’s nuclear test 1998 that threw Balochistan in a hell of uncontrolled radioactivity.  1999 she participated in an international event for peaceful conflict resolution; Women Waging Peace, Boston USA as one of its pioneers, this is a continuous movement for women’s role in conflict zones of 110 countries.  2000 during the severe drought as aftermath of nuclear tests in Balochistan, as a support campaign leader she organized a network “Gidan” of INGOs local NGOs and volunteers to provide support to drought affected areas of Balochistan.  2000 presentation on unification and liberation of Balochistan in Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR) Kathmandu, Nepal  2002 as associate professor she resigned from university to record her protest against direct military control on the University of Balochistan.  2002 selected as executive director of Gidan  2003 She visited five states of USA under International Visitors Program of State Department, where she met with women activists, interfaith groups and think tanks; The Heritage Foundation.  2004-2005 along with five leading social organizations developed a network ASHA against harassment of women at work place.  2006 her husband Mir Ghulam Mustafa Raisani abducted by MI 313 a branch of Pakistan Army, brutally tortured and disappeared for two years in Kuli Camp Quetta.  2006 Gidan ngo declared banned by Pakistan Interior Ministry for the allegations of supporting Baloch freedom movement; the NGO was running a health clinic and a women’s economic activity centre in Marri Camp Quetta (a Baloch marginalized community every day under brutal raids, torture, abductions and mutilated bodies) Gidan office sealed, personal and NGO’s bank accounts seized.  2006-2009 cases of anti state activities filed against her, 9 house raids by Pakistan army, she and her family dispersed and lived underground.  2009 She was a participant in Asia Pacific Women’s Conference, Beijing+15 Manila. At Karachi airport Pakistan’s security forces off loaded her name was in Exit Control List, she was arrested on finding a copy of her presentation during search of her luggage, included a detailed list of 240 abducted Baloch women by Pakistan army.  2010 she started living in exile in Afghanistan. After six months ISAF detected 2 explosive mines in front of her home in Kandhar, she shifted to Kabul.  2011 she visited 24 provinces of Afghanistan where 4 million Baloch live, supported them to organize in a national level forum The Baloch Shura Afghanistan, she presented the BLC Baloch Liberation Charter in Baloch Shura’s first Counsel Session in Kabul, which accepted by raising hands of 100% counselors.  2012 she established the World Baloch Women’s Forum, the first ever Baloch organization that has membership from either sides of Goldsmith line, Durand line and Diaspora on a single platform. In the declaration of its first Counsel Session in Mazare Sharif

Afghanistan, announced call for abolition of all forms of discrimination against women and demanded an independent, united, democratic and gender balanced Balochistan.  2012 Another bomb found in front of her home in Kabul that was timely disposed off by the Afghan Security Forces.  2013 She joined women’s development initiatives for Afghan women; she trained Afghan Women Police to play their role in implementation of EVAW: Law for Elevation of Violence Against Women. Eight suicide attackers were caught alive from her residential street in Kabul.  2014-2015 To redirect propinquity in Baloch and Kurds; she initiated strategy of joint policies and public protests of both Independence Movements, which became more visible during her stay in Vancouver Canada. This strategy got huge appreciation in Kurd and Baloch masses, and got replicated in many countries as a more powerful approach.  She is writer of many articles on politics, security and gender. Her two books; 1- No more dishonoring by honor killing. 2- Parcham e dil (Flag of my heart; poetry) published from Kabul Afghanistan. 3- Her books: i) The History of Balochistan and ii) Balochistan and the Global Security will be published from British Columbia in coming months.  She is a film maker and has made many documentaries, talk shows and tele-films on issues of gender including men’s issues, peace and social justice, shown in different international events, training programs and television networks.

Mazdak Dilshad Baloch, son of prominent author-activist Naela Qadri Baloch and filmmaker Mir Ghulam Mustafa Raisaini, lives in Canada in exile along with his wife and two brothers. The family was given asylum by Canada in 2014 after several attempts on their lives were made in Afghanistan where they reached after fleeing Pakistan in 2010. ^[1]

References

^ "Kashmir India's integral part, world should follow Narendra Modi on Balochistan: Mazdak Dilshad Baloch - The Economic Times".

[1] "Kashmir India's integral part, world should follow Narendra Modi on Balochistan: Mazdak Dilshad Baloch - The Economic Times".

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