Karachi, Pakistan: Zunaira Baloch, a 14-year-old climate activist from Pakistan’s Balochistan province and one of the region’s youngest environmental advocates, has alleged that her home was raided and vandalized by Pakistan’s intelligence services late Sunday night.
According to a statement shared on her Instagram account, Ms. Baloch — who has collaborated with UNICEF on local climate change initiatives — said that the raid occurred while she was visiting relatives in Khuzdar for a family wedding. Unknown individuals reportedly entered her family home in Hub, damaging her passport, official UNICEF documents, awards, and trophies.
“I am not sharing this to gain sympathy,” Ms. Baloch wrote. “My only purpose is to serve society. It is heartbreaking to see my work targeted in such an organized way, but I will not give up.”
Human rights activists in Balochistan have condemned the alleged incident, calling it part of a broader campaign of intimidation against young activists and dissenting voices in the restive province. The Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), Pakistan’s most powerful security body, has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Ms. Baloch’s family has a history of persecution. Her father was reportedly abducted and later found dead on the outskirts of Quetta — an incident that rights organizations have linked to Pakistan’s ongoing campaign against Baloch political activists.
Despite the threats, Ms. Baloch vowed to continue her work on environmental and social issues. “No matter what happens,” she said, “I will never abandon my struggle for my people and for a better society.”
