Have you heard of an abandoned community put to an unabated persecution? Do you know a fatless community slaughtered for no reason except their selfless dedication to education and earnest services to their land? Have you heard of tones of explosive used to demolish a tribe, peace keeping is whose very crime in state whose security agencies enjoy universal fame? Nevertheless, when it comes to apprehension of assassin of humanity, justice is delayed if not denied, in the shroud of lame excuses. The attributes refers to a terrorized ethnic group, Hazara, dwelling in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan, over centuries.
Death pursues unfortunate Hazaras everywhere, in avenues, markets, highways, university routes and in local carriages. They are not even spared in their residential enclaves, Hazara town and Alamdar Road, have been the victim of multiple bombs with tones of explosives. The peace-loving community is besieged by vicious perpetrators of Lashkari Jangvi (LeJ) the operational wing of Ahali Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) formerly known as Sipahi Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) serving as a strategic asset and enjoys politico-economical support from some institutions. Mualana Rafeeq Mengal heads Baluchistan chapter of Ahali Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) continuously incites hatred and violence against Hazara Shia, serving a firm basis of their butchery, the state seems indifferent to his activities.
The wave of terrorism continues to haunt Hazaras who are put to sympathy of nominal out-fit terrorists that execute successful operations slaughtering dozens of innocent Hazaras with impunity. Despite city reflecting a mini cantonment supplemented with heavy deployment of security contingents on all entrances and exits, yet terrorists flee unseen subsequent to their vicious play, which is clear manifestation of influential covert support extended to them. Factually speaking security forces seemingly protect the terrorists than the innocent citizens.
With growing insecurity and continued attacks on the Hazara community the federal and provincial governments come forth issuing hallow political instruction of grant of fool proof security to the community. This has been a face saving measure to secure the confidence of the persecuted community and humanitarian organization relentlessly raising their concerns at the endless butchery. Otherwise, the most practicable step ending the persecution of Hazaras were the directives of targeted operation against those involved either in their bloodshed or inciting violence, has never been thought of.
In spite the multiple security check points, the angelic invisible suicide explosive laden bomber gets a successful entry via nominally sealed entrance leading to Hazara populated neighborhood, succeeds blowing himself at the set target; the most crowded site. Successive to deafening explosion, tens and hundreds of people are left bleeding, aching and yelling with bifurcated head and limbs. The world might not have witnessed such a heart wrecking tale of atrocities.
The successive incidents depict Hazaras will be massacred until none (children, women and men) is left; and it still won’t be sufficient to awake the government and humanitarian organizations. Ninety days hardly passed from former Hazara town tragic incident; an explosive laden water tanker ripped through the entry of Abu-Talib road claiming lives of over hundred innocent people. June 30, brought another mayhem, when a suicide bomber blew himself at the most populated avenue, Abu-Talib road, the heart of Hazara Town slaughtering 32 lives and leaving around 70 wounded.
Among the victims of Hazara town latest suicide blast, Bashir was one of the ill-fated high school students who overjoyed scoring high first grade in matriculation exam. Having earned a firm resolve to fight the menace of extremism and terrorism with the might of pen himself rendered the object of terrorism and could not reach to his high morale dreams. There were seven other students of different ages among the deceased.
Significantly, the community voices the agonies staging peaceful protest subsequent to every tragic incident and asks from the gods of Pakistan when will their butchery end? “Irrespective of cold response the government incessantly retreated, we will resort to peaceful and non-violent agitations making the government and pro-peace international community hear into our miseries demanding the end of our genocide” says Zakir Hazara, the spokesman of Hazara Students Federation, a student organization.
Having seen the unwillingness of state to curtail the endless massacre of Hazaras, several queries emerge in everyone’s mind. A state allocating 670 billion of massive budgets for defense, surrenders to handful of terrorists is in contradiction to uttered fact. How can a group of terrorists turn unbeatable before an unbeatable security institutions are some of the queries awaiting response? It seems Hazaras left to suffer, seems by design not by fate.
Subsequent to previous general elections, enormous expectations were linked to newly installed government in the center and the province, diverting greater attention towards deteriorating law and order in Baluchistan; in particular to Hazara carnage given prime importance. Most of analysts find Baluchistan’s hung parliament unable to address the escalating insurgency, sectarian violence and corruption as effectively as expected with exclusion to full support and coordination from other parties in coalition government.
It was dominantly anticipated, the newly elected Chief Minister of Baluchistan Dr. Malik would issue directives of targeted operation order against perpetrators of Hazara mass Massacre and their allies advocating bloodshed. Nonetheless, the recurrence of two tragic incidents murdering three dozens of fateless Hazaras following the new setup installed, faded away the hope justice could be served.
Till date over 1300 Hazaras are subjected to mass butchery. Thousands have fled the country fearing persecution. The gateway to every life sustaining and propelling activities are irreversibly closed. The opportunity to undertake businesses, seek education, carry forth social and developmental activities are restricted to minimal. The dying hope of repatriation in their own state and fear of unabated persecution coerced many Hazaras seek asylum in western countries. Truly, Australia served the only country that hosted largest number of Hazaras asylum seekers, by timely responding to their sufferings. However, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s former announcement stating asylum seekers arriving on Australian shore via boats would no longer be resettled within the country’s borders, intensify Hazaras concerns in fact put them to lengthened massacre, should be revisited.
Persecution is one of decade long panic, Hazaras are passing through - kidnapping for ransom is another agony hunting them. Large number of Hazara employees and businessmen has been kidnapped for ransom; some are tortured to death whilst others go on missing till date.
Most if not all, Pakistan’s major political parties continuously voiced, observed walk out from the floor of assembly registered grave discerns, moved no-confidence resolution against US unmanned drone strike that hit militant hideouts, far away from the reach of military personnel, but fadelessly resorted to condemnation only at Hazara’s continued butchery at the hand their own inhuman country fellowmen.
One must enquire if Hazaras’ endless crimes surpassed militants’ vicious activities must have been put to ruthless killing. Earning eternal beliefs in democratic values and striving hard for human rights promotion rest among blatant crimes Hazaras committed, serving the foundation to their mass massacre.
Following the previous suicide bombing in Hazara town the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said in a press statement, “HRCP is extremely concerned and utterly dismayed to again find itself condemning another massacre in Quetta. No surprises there either. The only question is what else it would take for the state to pursue the killers with anything resembling single-minded focus. Is there a red line that the killers are yet to cross which would force the authorities into action? Or is it just that peaceful citizens being mowed stops being a travesty if the recurring massacres are spaced a few weeks apart? How much longer should they tolerate the ostensibly outlawed Lashkar-e-Jahngvi striking almost every week, unless someone wants to consciously look away as the group causes havoc?