Thread by @KiyyaBaloch

A very personal thread!

I am truly overwhelmed by your messages, phone calls, and DMS. I don’t share personal life events, but today's trolling is nothing compared to what I have gone through. Faced detention and suffered harassment in Gwadar and Qta in Dec 2015.

My house was ransacked in ISB in 2016. Thanks to the @guardian guy, who rescued me at 2:00 am. My telephone calls were traced, and I was pressurized to share the details of the people the former Guardian guy, and I interviewed. But I didn't. theguardian.com/world/2016/feb…

2016 was a year full of harassment and day-to-day meeting with ISI, MI, and ISPR in Islamabad. When I refused to toe their line, my name was recommended for the 4th scheduled anti-terror watch list in Jan 2017 to restrict my movement and block my bank accounts.

I suffered extreme harassment in b/w Feb 2017 and March when my colleague left for London. Finally, I had to leave Pakistan for a Master's degree program. Even in Europe threats followed me.

RSF informed me that in 2020 my name had appeared in a Pakistan government internal memorandum that called for monitoring my movement and social media accounts. A western security agency informed me of a potential threat to my life in the same year.

I know the country where I currently live is still today under pressure from the Pakistan government to expel me. My visas have been refused twice. Notable Pakistani newspapers have pulled down my articles from their website.

Since September last year, my life has changed dramatically. I have been moved to a place where you hardly find anyone to speak to.

Still, I have not lost faith in journalism despite the fact I have not met any of my family members for the last five years. Lately, in February, my family suffered harassment for just my tweets. I am everyday abused and called a terrorist sympathizer by GHQ-backed trolls.

It hurts, and it hurts more when your people abuse or attack you. I will keep on doing my job without compromising my principles. You cannot dictate or influence me. And I cannot write stories based on #BLA's or its sympathizer's personal desires.

I am strong enough to face this shit. I thank all those who stood with me, sent messages, and called. In my eyes, there is no difference between those who call themselves nationalists, BLA sympathizers, activists, and Pakistan-backed GHQ touts. I will keep covering #Balochistan.

One more I wanted to add! 🇵🇰 authorities refused to renew my passport three times. I was forced to visit the embassy, meet their staff, & answer their stupid questions. Still, I don’t care about these trolls. For me Bln, it’s people & their stories are more important than them.