Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Sectarian Violence Continues in Pakistan

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Sectarian Violence  Continues in Pakistan

A wave of sectarian killings has once again hit the Baluchistan province of Pakistan putting lives of religious and ethnic minorities at the mercy of insurgents. Targeted killing and genocide of a particular community, the Hazaras, – whose number reaches to only about half a million forming a tiny portion of the 20 percent Pakistani Shia population - has intensified. Life has turned into a hell for them while the government seems to sleeping like a log.

On Thursday, March 29, unknown gunmen opened fire at a van carrying Hazaras on Spini road of Quetta, the capital city of Baluchistan. As a result eight Hazaras including a woman were killed while several others got injured. Meanwhile, two other of the same community got killed when police fired at people protesting the killings on the same day.

Dozens of such incidents have taken place in the last decade. However, two incidents that took place last year signals the depth of violence against Hazara community in Pakistan. On September 20, 2011, a bus carrying passengers from Quetta to Taftan was intercepted by terrorists in Mastung area of Baluchistan. The terrorists singled out all Hazara and shot them dead cold-bloodedly. In the same manner, on October 4, 2011, a local bus carrying passengers to Hazar Ganji vegetable market in Quetta was stopped by terrorists in the outskirts of the city.

Non-Hazaras were ordered to get off of the bus while the Hazaras - easily identifiable among Pashtuns and Baluchs due their facial features – were lined up and brutality killed. In the incident 12 Hazaras died while 6 other people were injured.

The genocide of Hazaras in Baluchistan began as early as 1997 and has taken lives of more than 600 innocent people including women and children so far. The killings have had a deep negative impact on the social, business and educational activities of the community forcing its members to escape Pakistan to Australia and European countries by availing services of human smugglers – a measure that is extremely risky and has cost them lives for several times. On December 20, 54 Hazaras died when their boat went down en route to Australia. "That the Hazara young men chose to leave Pakistan by taking such grave risks," the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan sad in a statement, "is a measure of the persecution the Hazara community has long faced in Balochistan."

Quetta resembles a hell for the Hazaras. Undoubtedly, the terrorist groups – whatsoever title they bear – are responsible for the ongoing situation but fingers should also be pointed at the government of Pakistan as it has terribly failed to secure the lives ethnic and religious minorities.

According to a recent report on BBC Persian, Rehman Malik, Pakistan's Foreign Ministers deems Lashkar e Jangvi (LeJ) and Seph e Sahaba, both of which are Sunni militant groups, responsible for the killings of Hazaras in Baluchistan. Need to mention that last year on the instruction Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's President, Rehman Malik held meetings with leaders and elders of Hazara community and promised them security and action against the militants involved. Nonetheless, not only a single culprit has not been arrested so far but also the people blame the government of failing to provide them security.

Hazaras are everywhere in the world. In 19th century, when King Abdur Rahman massacred 62 percent of Hazaras in Afghanistan, they started migrating to various countries of the world including the subcontinent which was then divided into India and Pakistan. But Afghanistan still has the largest population of Hazaras. More than 20 percent of its estimated 35-million population is formed by Hazaras. After the fall of Taliban, they have proved to be great supporters of peace and democracy. There is not even single evidence that could prove Hazaras involvement in insurgency of any kind anywhere in the whole world. Like Hazaras elsewhere, the Hazaras living in Afghanistan are also extremely concerned over the sufferings of their brothers in Pakistan.

Seeing the time-and-again killings of Hazaras in Quetta, it became extremely difficult for the Hazaras living elsewhere to remain voiceless. Therefore, they conducted number demonstrations to condemn the incidents in Quetta and urge the responsible organizations and Pakistani government to take solid measures for stopping the killings.

Beginning on October 1st last year, the Hazaras protested world-wide to gain attention of the Human Rights Organizations, Governments and the UN. Voices were raised in Australia, United Kingdom, Norway, Italy, Denmark, United States, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. These protests were all staged by people themselves without support of any kind from any specific political party. Despite that the United Nation is still mum on the issue and the violence against Hazaras in Pakistan continues.

In a statement in October, the Human Rights Commission Pakistan called upon President and Prime Minister of Pakistan to step in and take measures to stop Hazara killings in Quetta. It said, "Whatever their faith and calling the Hazaras are as honorable citizens of Pakistan as anyone else and the protection of their lives and liberty is a duty for which you will be held accountable.

" Already the situation of Baluchistan is getting out of control due to Baluch separatists movement, the sectarian violence, if not controlled, will add fuel to the fire. The Hazaras in Pakistan have added to development of that county and therefore, the government has to fulfill its commitments towards securing their lives and life every Pakistani.

Mohd. Ahsan is permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at outlookafg hanistan@gmail.com

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