Persecution of Hazara community in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province of Pakistan continues unabated. On July 15th, armed terrorists opened fire at vehicle belonging to a Hazara trader in the main city of Quetta killing all its 4 passengers. They were killed just at the time of Iftar and the terrorists broke their fast with blood of these innocent Hazaras. The incident comes only two weeks after June 30th suicide attack near a mosque in Hazara locality that took lives of at least 32 people and injured many others belonging to the same community.
Two days after the incident, the new Pakistani Prime Minister, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif paid a visit to Quetta and said that he has directed law enforcement agencies including the ISI and the Intelligence Bureau to treat the 30th June bombing as a test case and catch the culprits. “The administration here needs to bring improvement in their governance and the authorities in police need to realize their duty,” He said. Nonetheless, his administration has not imparted any comprehensive plan to act against terror groups responsible for slaughtering innocent members of Hazara community.
The latest killing of Hazaras takes place under the very nose of security forces in the main bazaar of Quetta city. It indicates that the Lashkar-e Jangvi (LeJ) terrorists enjoy full liberty to persecute Shia Muslims, particularly the Hazara community in Pakistan. Now it seems as if the Pakistani government is intentionally not taking any action against LeJ that openly takes responsibility of attacks on the Hazaras who form only 0.5 million of the huge Pakistani population.
Since January, the Hazaras in Quetta have lost more than 250 of their beloved ones in a series of what can be the deadliest attacks in the history of Pakistan. Since 1998, at least 1300 members of this small community have fallen victim of insurgency. However, not single culprit has been prosecuted. In 2008 and 2013, high-profile terrorists related to LeJ managed to escape from a prison located in a highly secure area of Quetta cantonment. Additionally, LeJ terrorists have been released from Pakistani jails with honor.
Keeping in view that the Pakistan government has no intention to stop the ongoing genocide of Hazaras, it is urged that the United Nations and human rights organizations to break their silence and show that humanity is still alive. The Pakistani government must be pressurized to provide security to the life of religious and ethnic minorities. Pakistan must take immediate action against LeJ leaders and members to indicate that it is not the supporter of the killers but the protector of its citizens.