The brutal killings of Hazaras continue in Baluchistan Province of Pakistan. On Tuesday, January 21, yet again, a coach carrying pilgrims from Iran was hit by a suicide bomber in Mastung, which is about 55 km away from Quetta city. The blast resulted in the death of around 24 people and injury to about 41 others. However, the latest reports suggest that the number of dead has reached to 29 and there are many who are severely injured.
It is even more tragic to note that there are children and women as well among the dead and the wounded and they belong to Hazara community in Quetta. The sources said that ‘most of the dead and injured are from Marriabad and Hazara Town in Quetta’. Four security personnel who were escorting the bus also suffered fatal injuries as the blast also hit two security vehicles.
As usual the banned militant outfit Lashker-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) claimed the responsibility for the attack and warned that its members may continue such attacks. It is really unfortunate to note that such attacks have continued from LeJ and there has not been any comprehensive strategy by Pakistani government to control them. This attack was the second attack on Shia pilgrims in the same part of Baluchistan only in a period of few weeks. This incident clearly shows that either the government has failed to provide Hazara community security or it is totally indifferent to their woes and cries.
Nonetheless, the Hazara people have continued their peaceful way of demonstration and on Wednesday, despite freezing temperature, thousands of them initiated a sit-in in Quetta to protest the killings, which is still going on. The demonstrators gathered on the Alamdar road in the morning and they are still on the road with the dead bodies and the demands from the authorities to a launch a crackdown against the militants, who have been given free hand. Syed Ahmed Raza, a member of Balochistan Assembly and leader of the Hazara community said, “We will continue our protest until perpetrators of the blast are brought to book.”
Last year, as a protest to the twin bombings on Alamdar Road, Quetta, that had left more than 100 people dead, the Hazaras staged a sit-in from January 10 to 13, which resulted in the removal of the then Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani. However, no serious action has been taken against handful members of LeJ. And the peaceful demonstrations of nonviolent Hazara community have been responded with further killings. What is going to be the fate of the ongoing protest is yet to be seen.