[Current Affairs] December 22,2020 Top Pakistan Current Affairs for PPSC Test Preparation

2. Baloch activist found dead in Toronto

What’s going on? Well-known political activist, Karima Baloch, was reportedly found dead in Toronto, Canada. She was 37-years-old. Baloch was last seen on Sunday, December 20, at approximately 3pm in the Bay Street and Queens Quay West area. Toronto Police Operations reported that she was missing on December 21.

The details: Baloch often campaigned for Baloch rights, and Balochistan’s independence from Pakistan. She also wanted women to participate in the national liberation movement for Balochistan. She accused the Pakistani state of promoting radical Islamic elements in Baloch areas to challenge the nationalist movement, and suppress women’s rights. She left Balochistan to apply for political asylum in Canada. She was facing threats due to her political views.

Tell me more: In 2016, Baloch made it to BBC’s list of “The World’s 100 Most Inspirational and Influential Women.” She is considered to be the pioneer of women activism in Balochistan. She joined the Baloch Students Organization (BSO-Azad) in 2006, and became its first chairperson. BSO-Azad is described as an ethno-nationalist, separatist student group. The Pakistani state reportedly banned BSO-Azad in 2013 for allegedly “supporting terrorism.” Baloch rejected accusations about BSO-Azad being violent. She said she doesn’t support or condone violence. Pakistan’s army and intelligence agencies have allegedly incarcerated or killed BSO-Azad activists.

The context: Balochistan is mostly home to ethnic Baloch people, along with Pashtuns and Hazaras. Pakistan doesn’t want to lose resource-rich Balochistan. The province has the country’s only deep-sea port at Gwadar, and numerous natural resources. However, despite the province’s natural riches, its people largely remain poor and uneducated. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group, accuses Pakistan of squeezing out the province’s wealth without providing basic services to its people (P.S. last year, the US designated BLA as a terrorist group). Security forces have reportedly used immense force to shut down the separatist movement, which ranges from demonstrations and rallies to insurgent attacks on security forces.

The bottom line: The cause of her death is unclear, and so are the details surrounding her death. To the state, she may have been considered a terrorist supporter. However, in Balochistan, she was reportedly considered a local hero.

4. Pakistani developers excel in speed coding challenge

Around 128 Pakistani developers participated in Toptal’s JavaScript Speed Coding Challenge. Toptal is a marketplace for top JavaScript developers and coders. Around 2,000 coders and developers from 137 countries took part in the competition. Participants had to solve tough problems asap to earn points. Five Pakistani developers finished in the top 50! MALLU, who landed in fourth place, was the highest-ranking Pakistani developer in the coding challenge.