Hadiqa Kiani, Mahrang Baloch shine among BBC 100 Women for 2024

ISLAMABAD: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Tuesday published its list of ‘100 Women for 2024’ which also featured two of the most influential women in Pakistan.

Singer and songwriter Hadiqa Kiani, and medical doctor and activist, Maharang Baloch, made their country proud as they were honoured by the BBC as this year’s most inspiring and influential women. They were mentioned among extraordinary women from around the world, including stranded astronaut Sunita Williams, rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad, among others.

Rising to fame in the 1990s, Kiani soon became known for her versatile voice, making her mark among Pakistan’s musical icons. She was celebrated in the South Asian female pop music scene. However, music may not be the only thing she has been passionate about as she is also known for her contributions to humanitarian causes.

She also serves as a United Nations Development Programme goodwill ambassador. According to the BBC, in response to the devastating 2022 floods in Pakistan, Kiani launched her Vaseela-e-Raah project, dedicated to aiding victims in the regions of Balochistan and South Punjab. She urged the public to assist displaced families and last year, the project announced it had built 370 homes and other facilities in the affected areas.

On the other hand, Baloch is one of the many women across Pakistan who took part in demonstrations against alleged enforced disappearances in Balochistan. In late 2023, Baloch led hundreds of women on a 1,600km march to Islamabad to demand information on the whereabouts of their family members. She was arrested twice during the journey.

Since then, the medical doctor has become a prominent activist, under the banner of her own human rights group Baloch Yakjehti (Unity) Committee (BYC). Additionally, her work in the field of human rights was recognised in the TIME100 Next 2024 list of emerging leaders.