Pakistan's Shia Genocide !!

[Ray]

Shias have a tough time in Pakistan.

In the Pakistan held Northern Area, the Govt has flooded it with Sunni Pathans to change the demography!

 

[Singh]

Doctor killed in 'sectarian' attack

Doctor killed in 'sectarian' attack​

KARACHI: A doctor and trustee of an Imambargah was shot dead in front of his house in Federal B Area on Saturday morning.

Investigators said that the murder could be part of ongoing sectarian killings.

Dr Syed Jafar Mohsin Rizvi was targeted when he was reading a newspaper before his residence in F. B Area's block 12. One of the two riders, the area police said, got off the two-wheeler and fired multiple shots at the 60-year-old general physician before riding away with his aide.

"He was hit by bullets in the head and died on the spot," said Inspector Raja Tariq, the SHO of the Gulberg police station.

"According to the victim's family, he read the newspaper almost daily on the bench fixed in front of his house. The family rushed out on hearing gunshots and found him lying in a pool of blood."

The police found four casings of spent bullets fired from a TT pistol, he said, adding that investigators had come into contact with a few persons who witnessed the incident though from a distance.

"The block where the victim lived has big houses, and the wide lanes remain deserted around 12noon with scarce movement of pedestrians or vehicles," said the SHO, adding that the investigators would first determine the route taken by the armed riders to connect the dots.

A trustee of Imambargah Aal-i-Aba in F. B Area block 13, Dr Rizvi also owned a tour operating company that arranges visits to holy places in Arab countries.

The police said the victim's son was in Karbala accompanying a group of Pakistani pilgrims and would return home on Sunday to attend the funeral prayers in Zohrain.

The body was taken to Rizvia Imambargah after medico-legal formalities were carried out at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

The killing drew serious criticism from the Jafria Alliance Pakistan (JAP) and leaders of other organisations, who called the killing 'failure' of the government and law-enforcement agencies.

"The government has failed to end violence and no credible action is seen against banned outfits which are involved in these killings and bent on destroying religious harmony and peace in the city," said Abbas Kumaili of JAP.

He advised the government to become serious about ending sectarian killings, adding that they were fast spreading the sense of insecurity among the people of Karachi.The police authorities see the recent spate of targeted killings on sectarian grounds as 'unfortunate' and find it hard to persuade rival sides to maintain harmony.

"Apart from our efforts to convince the two sides, we have geared up our activities on operational side," said Additional IG of Karachi Akhtar Hussain Gorchani. "An exercise to spot members of banned outfits has already been initiated that includes scanning of their criminal record maintained by the police and their identities for a decisive action."


Doctor killed in 'sectarian' attack | Metropolitan | DAWN.COM

 

[Singh]

6 Shias including 3 lawyers and a Federal Investigation Agency official killed in Pak

Unidentified gunmen kill 6 Shias in Pakistan
​

Islamabad, Jan 25: Six members of the minority Shia community, including three lawyers and a Federal Investigation Agency official, were shot dead on Wednesday by unidentified gunmen in two separate attacks in Pakistan.

Three lawyers were killed and another injured in an attack near the city court complex in Karachi, the capital of Sindh province. The dead men – Badar Munir Jafri, Shakeel Jafri and Kafeel Jafri – were members of the same family.

Four gunmen, who were riding two motorcycles, followed the lawyers when they left the court complex in a car and attacked them in Aram Bagh area, witnesses said. The attackers escaped after the shooting.

Witnesses told the media that policemen in the area did little to stop them. The injured lawyer underwent surgery at the Civil Hospital and doctors said he was out of danger. Police officials said the victims were shot from close range. They described the attack as an incident of sectarian violence.

In a separate incident in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, gunmen opened fire on a car at McConghey Road this evening and killed FIA Inspector Vilayat Hussain, television actor Abid Ali Nazish and poet Mohammad Anwar.

The dead men belonged to the Hazara Shia community, which has repeatedly been targeted in sectarian attacks in Balochistan. The attackers, who were riding a motorcycle, escaped after the shooting. Police cordoned off the area after the incident and conducted a search.

Following the attack in Karachi, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan removed the head of the Aram Bagh police station. He expressed solidarity with the lawyers' community and asked them to stay calm. Lawyers' groups announced they would boycott courts across the country tomorrow to protest the killings.

Shias | Pakistan | Gunmen | Killed

 

[Singh]

Pak lets Lashkar-e-Jhangvi chief, Malik Ishtiaq walk free

Pak lets LeJ chief walk free
​

LAHORE:A Pakistani judicial review board on Friday ended the house arrest of Malik Ishaq, the head of the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi who was detained last year after his group was blamed for a string of attacks on the minority Shia community.

The three-member review board headed by Lahore high court justice Nasir Saeed set aside the Punjab government's plea that Ishaq's detention should be extended for maintaining law and order in the province.


The law officer of the Punjab home department argued that there had been a spike in sectarian violence against Shias since Ishaq was freed from prison last year.

Pak lets LeJ chief walk free - Times Of India

 

[Ray]

Anyone who is not a Sunni in Pakistan is not taken to be a citizen of equal status.

 

[Singh]

Shia Ulema Want Inquiry Into Recent Killings

Shia Ulema Want Inquiry Into Recent Killings​

HYDERABAD: A commission similar to the one investigating the Memogate case should be set up to look into the killings of Ahle Tasheeh people, said the chief of the Shia Ulema Council of Pakistan, Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi, on Saturday at a press conference.

He denied that the killings were sectarian, arguing instead that some people were trying to create trouble between the sects. However, if a commission were formed, they would provide evidence which could help with the investigation.

The latest attack took place was on January 24, when three lawyers were gunned down in Karachi. Before that, on January 18, there was a bomb blast attacked a procession in Rahim Yar Khan, which left 18 people dead.

On another note, Naqvi was not hopeful about the revival of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal. He said he wanted to be a part of a broader alliance which included religious and political parties.

While talking about the government, he said that it should be allowed to complete its term just so that it did not complain later.

He said that the Difa-e-Pakistan Council had agnostic elements in it and his party would keep away from it. The Difa-e-Pakistan Council is an offshoot of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.

Shia ulema want inquiry into recent killings – The Express Tribune

 

[Ray]

Nothing will come out of it.

 

[Singh]

Another target killing. Shia businessman, Mushtaq Riaz Zaidi alias Moonis Zaidi was gunned down at UP Mor North Karachi.

Pakistani Shia businessman Mushtaq Zaidi martyred by Wahabi terrorists in Karachi

 

[SADAKHUSH]

The vested interest from KSA are fuelling the fire and I am afraid it is going to get out of control sooner than later if the sanity does not prevail among all the factions. In the name of ego and so called pride future in the hands of present regimes and rulers has bloodbath and destruction written all over their ongoing actions and hateful rhetoric.

 

[Singh]

One Killed In Gulberg Area Of Karachi

One Killed In Gulberg Area Of Karachi ​

Taseer Abbas Zaidi killed in FB Area Block 20. Protes-tors block area.


Protestors have also blocked the media and have targeted media personnel.

KARACHI: A wave of killings continue to plague Karachi, as another man from the Shia sect was targeted in the limits of Gulberg Police Station on Monday.

Taseer Abbas Zaidi was killed in FB Area Block 20 when two men on a motorbike open fired on him.

He was the brother of noha khawan Raza Abbas. The deceased will be buried at Wadai-e-Hussain.

Tension gripped the area immediately after the incident and unidentified men forced shopkeepers to close their stores in Ancholi and the Water Pump areas. Shara-e-Pakistan is also reported to be blocked.

Protestors also blocked the media and targeted media personnel. They were present on the Ancholi side of the Sohrab Goth bridge and members of Pashtun community on the other, with Police and Rangers deployed to avoid any untoward incident.

Booths under the bridge were also set on fire during the protests.

The city has been under the grip of sectarian and political violence during the last couple of weeks, with the death toll standing at above 20 in the month of January.

In another act of targeted killing, 59-year-old Jaffar Mohsin Rizvi, alias doctor, the son of Syed Baqar Rizvi, was gunned down in Gulberg on Saturday.

Sectarian attack?: One killed in Gulberg area of Karachi – The Express Tribune

 

[Singh]

'One Shia After Another Is Killed And You Want Us To Stay Silent?'

Protesters blocked Sharah-e-Pakistan for more than six hours on Monday, causing a massive traffic jam during and after the funeral procession of the two Ahle Tasheeh activists murdered earlier o.n. One of them, Jaffar Mohsin Rizvi, was killed on Saturday while the other one, Syed Taseer Abbas Zaidi, was gunned down on Monday morning.

Some men among the mourners forming the funeral procession also gave vent to their anger with volleys of aerial firing, which sent the message to shopkeepers in Ancholi and its surrounding areas that they had better go home.

Police and Rangers had to work hard to avert a clash between the protesters, who were returning from the burial, and the Pakhtun residents at Sohrab Goth. As the protesters set fire to road-side stalls and set ablaze a bus, police baton-charged the crowd.

With Monday's victims, the toll in sectarian and political violence for the first month of 2012 stood at 25. The Sindh police chief held a meeting in the evening which was also reportedly attended by representatives from both sects.

Zaidi was gunned down near his home in Samanabad police limits. He was an employee of the Karachi Electricity Supply Company and was also a member of the Anjuman Tanzim-e-Hussaini. His elder brother, Raza Abbas, is a nauha khawan, one who recites elegies at mourning sessions.

According to witnesses, Taseer was waiting for company transport near his residence when men shot and killed him. "Hardly five minutes after Zaidi's car came on the road, he was shot dead," said a shopkeeper, Usman, not his real name. "The killers did not leave the spot, till they were sure that he was dead," he added. He was shot thrice in the face, chest and abdomen and died on the spot. His body was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

The combined funeral of Zaidi and a 59-year-old Rizvi, who was gunned down on Saturday in Gulberg in the same manner, were offered at Imambargah Khairul Amal in Ancholi after Zohr prayers.

As their bodies were being taken to Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard, scores of protesters gathered on main Shahrah-e-Pakistan, blocking the traffic for hours. They also set tyres on fire. They attacked media personnel and damaged their cameras to prevent them from covering the violence, which spread after the participants of the funeral procession returned from the graveyard. They fired in the air and set a passenger bus on fire. "One Shia after another is being killed and we are not allowed even to protest," lamented an angry young man. "If we decide to retaliate, nobody would be able to stop us," he warned.

The scuffle between the police and protesters also took place when the law enforcers tried to disperse them. The law enforcers, however, charged at them with batons and fired tear gas at the mob and detained about one dozen men.

DSP Nasir Bukhari confirmed that Monday's incident was an act of targeted killing. "But it is fallacious to assume that there is a sectarian motive behind the killing of every Shia and Sunni," he said.

Opening a vein: 'One Shia after another is killed and you want us to stay silent?' – The Express Tribune

 

[Singh]

10 Killed In Karachi In Renewed Pakistan Sectarian Violence

Pakistani volunteers carry the bodies of a woman and her daughter to a hospital following an attack by gunmen in Karachi early today. At least 10 people were killed in the attack.

KARACHI: In a renewed wave of sectarian and ethnic killings in Pakistan, at least 10 people were killed in the last 24 hours in southern Sind's provincial capital, the police said on Monday.
Sindh home minister Manzoor Wassan said 10 people had been killed since Monday and admitted some of the target killings appeared to be because of sectarian disputes.

Security has been beefed up and a ban has been imposed on pillion riding in the city as a precautionary measure, he told a press conference here.

He said police and paramilitary rangers had carried out raids in different parts of the city and rounded up some 50 to 60 suspects who were being interrogated.

The victims in the latest series of bloody violence included the wife, daughter and driver of Mir Bakht Yar Domki, the sitting lawmaker from Sibi in the restive Balochistan province.

They were gunned down late last night near the Gizri bridge in the upmarket Clifton area while they were returning home after attending a wedding.

City police chief Ayaz Ghorchani said the killings appeared to be the result of a family enmity which are common in Baluchistan.

The day began with a bloody incident in the densely populated Nazimabad area where gunmen attacked a telecom company franchise, killing a young girl who was employed there and a security guard and wounding others.

Hours later gunmen killed a doctor who was on his way home in the Malir area spreading fear and panic in the city.

Earlier in the day a Shia, Taseer Abbas Zaidi, was gunned down in the Gulberg area leading to protesters blocking roads and attacking the law enforcement agencies and media personal to vent their anger.

Political and security analysts have put the latest killings down to sectarian and ethnic violence.

10 killed in Karachi in renewed Pakistan sectarian violence - The Times of India

 

[Singh]

Pak gunmen in military uniform kill 18 Shias

Militants clad in military uniform intercepted a convoy of buses and gunned down 18 minority Shia men Tuesday in a northern Pakistan region that borders the former Taliban stronghold of Swat. Eight others were injured in the attack, for which the banned Jundullah group has claimed responsibility. Two women and three children were among the injured, officials said.
About 10 to 15 gunmen stopped three buses near Harban village in Kohistan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and shot the Shias. The buses were going from the garrison city of Rawalpindi to Gilgit, which has a sizeable Shia population. The buses stopped near Harban as the road was blocked with large stones. The gunmen then entered the vehicles and began asking the passengers whether they were Shias or Sunnis. They questioned the passengers and even checked their identity cards, officials said. The gunmen forced the Shia men out of the vehicles and made them stand in a line before opening fire, local lawmaker Abdul Sattar Khan said. Police officials said all the dead were Shia men and that the buses were passing through an area dominated by Sunnis.

In a separate incident, a Chinese woman and her Pakistani companion were shot by unidentified gunmen on motorcycles, in Peshawar Tuesday. Officials identified the woman, in her 40s, as Jing Hua, while her companion was identified as Muhamad Suleman. The motive could not be ascertained, SSP (Operations) Tahir Ayub said. The dead woman had a Chinese passport with a Pakistani tourist visa, he said.

Pak gunmen in military uniform kill 16 Shias - Indian Express

 

[Zebra]

Shia genocide continues; another Shia Muslims killed in Karachi .
Pakistan

A 35 years old Shia Muslim 'Mirza Sarferaz' has been killed due to firing of nasbi terrorists in Orangi Town of Karachi on Tuesday 8 May 2012, the Shia Post reports.

Mirza Sarfaraz was martyred at Sabri Chowk, Orangi Town sector 11½ in metropolitan city of Karachi. The martyr was also member of a political party. He recieved 4 bullets m. The body was taken to hospital for post-mortem.

Many Shia Muslims have so far been killed due to firing of terrorists. Neither government nor police have been able to stop target killings of Shia Muslims across the country.

The area where the murder taken place is known as safe-havens of notorious terrorists of banned outfits such as Sipah-e-Sahaba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Harkat-ul-Ansar.

In the past, many Shia Muslims had been murdered in the areas of Orangi and other parts of district West of Karachi.

Shia genocide continues; another Shia Muslims killed in Karachi

 

[Zebra]

MQM activists attack on Shia Muslims during funeral procession

May 8 , Pakistan .

MQM activists attack on Shia Muslims during funeral procession

 

[LurkerBaba]

Excellent article, starts from Zia's anti-Shia policies and then goes on to recent incidents in Gilgit

----------------------------------------

Gilgit Baltistan, a part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), has been in the grip of another bout of violence and unrest for the last three months. February 2012 witnessed the blatant killing of Shia pilgrims in Kohistan on the Karakoram Highway when they were returning from Iran. In the aftermath of this particular incident, a series of clashes have taken place in the region, the most grievous among them being the massacre of Shias at Chilas on April 3, 2012. The spate of killings has unleashed fear and uncertainty among the people and there is an open outcry about the government's inaction and inability to control the situation. And it has also once again stirred sectarian sentiments, heightening tensions not only between the rival sects but among the public at large.
Repeated Outbreak of Sectarian Violence: The Underlying Factors

The killings in Gilgit Baltistan have once again highlighted the widening Shia-Sunni divide in Pakistan as a whole and which has specifically affected Gilgit Baltistan since the late 1980's. Gilgit Baltistan was predominantly Shia even under the Maharaja of Kashmir although there was hardly sectarian conflict in the region at that time.1 Post 1947 too, sectarianism may have existed as a latent force but largely without any violent manifestations. It was under the Zia ul Haq regime, however, that this latent force was ignited to serve Pakistan's larger goals within Gilgit Baltistan and elsewhere. The Iranian revolution propelled Zia's anti-Shia policy to limit Iran's influence on the Shias of Gilgit Baltistan in particular. Zia pursued a policy of Sunni Islamisation wherein Sunnis were patronised and given preferential treatment by the state in all public spheres. This caused widespread discontent in Shia majority Gilgit Baltistan where riots and other acts of violence consequently broke out frequently. Sectarianism was also cultivated by Pakistan as a negative force through concerted efforts to change the demographic reality and reduce the Shia to a minority in Gilgit Baltistan. By encouraging Sunni population from outside of the region to settle in Gilgit Baltistan, the state created a permanent divide between the various groups in Gilgit Baltistan.

Consequently, there have been many instances of sectarian violence in Gilgit Baltistan beginning with the large scale riots of 1988, which erupted over a minor controversy on the sighting of the moon during the holy month of Ramzan. Several hundreds were killed, villages were destroyed and even livestock were not spared while the administration watched the unfolding crisis like a mute spectator. The next major outbreak of violence occurred during 2003-04, when there was controversy over the introduction of a Sunni-centric curriculum in the schools of Gilgit Baltistan. Because of strident opposition, the federal government was compelled to take on board the Shia leaders and chart out a resolution to the problem. This, in turn, enraged the Sunni constituency, leading to the assassination of Shia religious leader, Zia ud-din-Rizvi, in January 2005. Sectarian sentiments at this point were raised considerably resulting in violence and eventual loss of life.

The second major factor contributing to the repeated outbreak of violence is the region's Kashmir connection, which has kept its political status unsettled. During the last several decades, Pakistan has imposed ad hoc governing structures without giving the region either an independent or a provincial status. The political yearnings of the locals, suppressed for long, occasionally find vent in the demand for autonomy because of such sectarian clashes. Political mobilisation along sectarian lines has complicated matters and widened the divide between the Shias and the Sunnis.

The absence of constitutional status, political deprivation, Pakistan's exercise of forceful control on the region and its deliberate strategy of playing the sectarian card have all proved to be a lethal combination that continues to adversely impact peace and security in Gilgit Baltistan. Escalating sectarian tensions and Pakistan's reluctance to address popular grievances and aspirations could potentially lead to increasing demands for autonomy and independence in the coming days.


The Kohistan Killings, February 28, 2012: In hindsight

It has been over two months since the horrific incident on the Karakoram highway on February 28, 2012 when at least 18 innocent pilgrims belonging to Gilgit Baltistan were killed by unknown assailants.2 Those killed were part of a group returning from a pilgrimage to holy shrines in Iran. They were travelling in a convoy of four buses from Rawalpindi to Gilgit. The attack took place on the Karakoram Highway in Harban Nullah in Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The victims were forced to disembark from the buses after having been identified as Shia from the CNIC (Computerised National identity cards) issued by Pakistan's NADRA (National Data Base and Registration Authority). The deceased were all men, including three of the bus drivers. The injured, however, included men, women and children.3

Ahmed Marwat, commander of an outlawed terrorist group, Jundullah, owned up responsibility for the attack, stating clearly that these people were targeted because they belonged to the Shia community. Jundullah, which allegedly has links to the Taliban and the al Qaeda, is based in Balochistan. This group is said to be different from the Jundallah active in neighbouring Iran. The killers, dressed in military uniforms, managed to escape the scene of attack without much difficulty.

The Kohistan incident jolted public perceptions in the region about their safety and security. It moved the Pakistan Government and the local administration to initiate quick action. A three member committee constituted by Pakistan's Interior Minster, Rehman Malik, to investigate the killings was asked to submit a report within three days. Initial reports suggested that the incident took place in revenge for the killing of two Shias in Chilas earlier, as noted by the local parliamentarian Abdul Sattar. Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari expressed concern and ordered that the injured be given the best possible treatment. The Pakistan Army offered assistance in the investigation process. The incident drew international attention and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon condemned it.4

Islamabad's Response

The Government of Pakistan claims to have made certain arrests in the case. However, the real culprits have not been apprehended yet. With few options in hand, the district administration of Kohistan constituted a 70 member Jirga consisting of elders and Ulema of Kohistan on April 1, 2012.5 This Jirga, as reports stated, would visit Gilgit Baltistan to interact with the local jirga in Diamer in an attempt to find a solution to the current crisis. The Pakistan Government was keen to entrust the peace jirga with the responsibility for the maintenance of peace and order in Gilgit Baltistan, emphasising the role of dialogue in resolving the problem. The Jirga was also required to suggest measures for preventing the recurrence of similar incidents in future.

The Kohistan incident is horrific and alarming, executed more like a full-fledged terrorist attack where men dressed in army uniforms went on a rampage. Because of the gravity of the incident, Section 144 was imposed in the area and schools and offices were closed as a precautionary measure and also as a matter of protest and expression of grief by the people. This particular incident has heightened concerns for locals in Gilgit Baltistan and trepidation about travelling on the highway.

The incident also highlights certain pertinent points. It raises serious questions about the credibility of the local administration, which allowed such an incident to take place in broad daylight. Another elementary concern is the absence of proper security mechanisms on the Karakorum Highway that could possibly avert such killings and prevent the culprits from easily getting away. At the same time, this incident also questions the extent of Pakistan's control on Gilgit Baltistan. The federal government in Pakistan was caught reacting under mounting pressure from all sides. In the immediate aftermath, Rehman Malik hinted that a major operation would be launched in the region to restore law and order (to be conducted by the Gilgit Baltistan Scouts), but this was later shelved for unknown reasons. Even before getting into the semantics of the whole issue, Rehman Malik tried to brush it aside as another incident of sectarian violence, only to later state that external forces were responsible for the heinous act. Malik was possibly trying to deflect attention as the government was under the scanner for its failure to take concrete steps to nab the culprits. Besides, the government's resort to Jirgas to resolve the case hints at its eroding control over law and order situation in the region.

The Massacre at Chilas, April 3, 2012: Fallout of Kohistan Killings

Even before Gilgit Baltistan could recover from the shock of the Kohistan killings, at least 15 to 20 people were killed and almost 50 injured in yet another incident in Chilas, Gilgit on April 3, 2012.6 These casualty figures are conservative estimates and reports claimed that many more people died and were injured than what the official numbers admitted. This incident occurred in the wake of a procession led by Ahl-e-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat (ASWJ is known to be the front of the banned terrorist outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba) protesting against the arrest of some its leaders (especially Attaullah Saqib, the head of Gilgit branch of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan) in connection with the Kohistan incident.7 In Gilgit, these protesters burnt tyres on the roads to create a sense of fear and forced shops to close. Grenades were lobbed at this procession by unidentified men riding on motor cycles. Simultaneously, armed men killed 10 Shia passengers after forcing them to get down from the bus they were travelling in Chilas. The fallout was immediate: Sunni mosques made public pronouncements against the Shia community and similarly Shias in Baltistan mobilised to avenge the killings.

These events escalated sectarian tensions in Gilgit Baltistan and the security situation went from bad to worse. Some people, noted to be Sunnis, were taken hostage by a mob in order to pressurise the authorities to take steps to control the situation. The hostages included a civil judge and a district health officer.8 A group consisting of ministers and members of the Gilgit Baltistan council was constituted to deal with the situation and negotiate with the abductors. This group led by Law Minister of Gilgit Baltistan, Wazir Shakil, was able to achieve a breakthrough between the government and the clerics.9 The weeklong hostage crisis came to an end when 31 Sunni hostages were released. Alongside, there were cases of disappearances, forcing the administration to start thinking in terms of launching a massive operation to nab those behind the violence and the deteriorating law and order situation.

The unfolding crisis and the series of violent incidents made the situation in Gilgit Baltistan tense and brought daily life to a standstill. Movement and traffic on the Karakorum Highway was affected. Due to the disruption of links between Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistan, the supply of essential items to the region was badly hit. The common people were affected the most by the crisis.

The bedlam compelled the administration to take firm steps. These included imposition of curfew in the entire area, closing of schools and offices, restriction of traffic, gagging of private TV channels and jamming of mobile services.10 Further, Army vehicles and other security forces patrolled the area in bullet proof vehicles.

Reactions of Pakistani Political Parties

The outbreak of violence in Gilgit Baltistan provided another opportunity for the opposition parties to target the PPP (Pakistan People's Party) led federal government. Their basic criticism was utter neglect of the region for so many years. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) sharply criticised the government's policy towards Gilgit Baltistan and so did Imran Khan, the chief of Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf (PTI), who blamed the government's negligence for the continuing violence in Gilgit Baltistan.
Popular Protests

Several demonstrations were held to protest against the bloodshed in recurring violent incidents. Apart from Gilgit Baltistan, protests were held not only in Lahore and Islamabad but also in the United States where people from the Gilgit Baltistan Diaspora took active part in criticising Pakistan's high handedness in the region. Groups such as the Gilgit Baltistan National Alliance (GBNA) and the Gilgit Baltistan National Congress (GBNC) participated in these protests, holding placards that denounced Pakistan's illegitimate control over Gilgit Baltistan, demanded restoration of the State Subject Rule (SSR), and more specifically urged the Government of Pakistan to stop targeted killings in the region.

Women also came out in Skardu to protest against state inaction and demanded that a search should be initiated to locate the people missing after the Chilas bus tragedy and that the peoples' safety must be ensured. Related to this, there were demands regarding the enforcement of better security measures and giving access to alternate routes for people's movement and transport.

Protests were also held in Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), which observed a complete shutdown on April 14, 2012 adhering to a call given by Anjuman e Jamiyatul Ulima Asna Ashriya (Islamia School Kargil). Markets were closed to express solidarity with the people across the Line of Control (LoC) in Gilgit Baltistan. These protesters also called upon the Government of India to take steps to stop such killings.11
Pakistan Government's Response

In the initial phase, the Army was called in to take charge of the region. Later on, the Government of Pakistan, after ruminating for over 10 days on how to deal with the emerging situation, announced a judicial commission to probe the incidents on April 14, 2012.12 The decision came in the wake of a meeting between the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and Pakistan's Interior Minister. The probe commission reportedly comprises of the Gilgit Baltistan Supreme Court and the High Court.

Identifying Commonalties in the Two Incidents

Even if there have been concerted cover up attempts by Pakistan by attributing responsibility to external actors for the violence, the fact remains that both episodes had strong sectarian underpinnings. Violence occurred in a chain of events, one fuelling the other set of killings as an act of revenge. A close examination of these incidents brings to the fore the sectarian complex which, over the last few decades, has shaped popular mindsets in Gilgit Baltistan. There is mobilisation, rather negative, along sectarian lines leading to impassioned outbursts in the form of protests and marches. The outbursts in most cases eventuate into violent incidents causing considerable damage in terms of law and order, loss of life and wastage of limited resources.

The incidents shared stark similarities in the manner in which they were carried out. Innocent people were forced to disembark from the buses ferrying them and shot to death after being identified as belonging to a particular sect.
Both incidents witnessed a complete failure of the local law enforcement agencies. Their conspicuous absence from the scene of crime is intriguing. These state agencies not only failed to avert the killings but later allowed the situation to get out of control. There has been perceived unwillingness to control the situation since the first incident which probably led to the recurrence of violence.
In both cases, the Government of Pakistan and the local administration were caught napping. They were not clear on how the investigations should proceed and in what direction. Curfew was imposed and the Army was called in to maintain law and order. Educational institutions and markets remained closed after the incident. In terms of state action, it was more immediate in the second incident with the instant imposition of curfew as well as blacking out of communications services in order to avoid dissemination of perverse information and messages from either sect. These steps, however, were of little avail as the ensuing violence could not be curtailed.
In both cases, the Interior Minister of Pakistan stated that there are hidden forces behind the violence—an obvious attempt to deflect popular attention and defuse popular unrest by buying more time.
The end result in both the cases is similar: the administration struggling to nab those responsible for the deaths and damage. There are limited options for the Government of Pakistan as attempts to take strict action against those belonging to one sect is likely to incur sharp criticism and resistance from that group leading to a further worsening of the situation. For instance, in the case of the Kohistan killings, when the Deputy Commissioner was transferred after being held responsible for the carnage, the Karakorum highway was blocked by Sunni protesters urging that the order be revoked. The pattern follows in other cases where the section at the receiving end comes out in opposition against any particular action that hurts their interests.
In both cases, the Governments of Gilgit Baltistan and that of Pakistan failed to assuage popular concerns and give the besieged sections of population a sense of relief.
The impact of violence has multiplied to accentuate the law and order problem and thrust religious identities/ affiliations beyond acceptable limits.
The common thinking among people in Gilgit Baltistan does not converge with that of the government. While the government sees these incidents as resulting from the involvement of external elements, the people see it more as a local issue and urge the government to take concrete steps to contain the violence.
The incidents have received wide coverage in the mainstream media in Pakistan, which has been particularly critical of state indifference and failure to deal with the situation.
These incidents have been considerably projected at the international level raising serious concerns about the ongoing trouble including the debate on whether it is time to put Pakistan on the Genocide Watch list.

Conclusion

The recent killings have caused immeasurable hurt to local sentiments in Gilgit Baltistan and further deepened polarisation between communities and exacerbated sectarian sentiments. There are indications that there exists in Gilgit Baltistan a huge cache of arms and ammunition and that this is being sourced from Iran, Europe and from within Pakistan as well. The scale and nature of the incidents have raised the sense of insecurity not only among the Shia and Sunni but also other groups who live in the region. These marginalised groups are living under constant fear that they may be targeted as well.

The situation after the second incident is still evolving and it has somewhat diverted attention from Pakistan's and the local government's failure to bring to book the perpetrators of the previous incident at Kohistan. Pakistan is buying time by taking symbolic actions, knowing well that the voices of dissent will tone down and the situation will become placid with time. Overall, Pakistan has failed to focus on Gilgit Baltistan and this is clear in its failure to control the spiralling incidents of violence in the region. The follow up incident in Gilgit and Chilas in April 2012 was unexpected while the authorities were still struggling to deal with the February 2012 attack on Shia bus passengers in Kohistan.

The unstable situation in Gilgit Baltistan is reminiscent of Pakistan's state policy of sowing the seeds for its own destruction. The fundamentalist constituency, which it nurtured for years to serve its interests in neighbouring countries, have transcended into a major security threat for itself. Similarly, in Gilgit Baltistan, the Pakistan Government's support for sectarian groups and its sectarian policies have led to the present situation, which is marked by recurring violence and consequently growing calls for autonomy and even independence from the people of Gilgit Baltistan.


Sectarian Strife in Gilgit Baltistan | Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

 

[LurkerBaba]

KOHAT: At least three people were killed and six were injured when unidentified assailants ambushed a passenger vehicle near Charkhel village in lower Kurram Agency on Monday, a political administration official said.

Confirming that it was a sectarian attack, the official said that the vehicle was en route to Peshawar from Parachinar – the headquarters of Kurram Agency – when unknown men opened fire on it from a mountain.

He added that all the passengers belonged to the Shia community. "The locals are afraid of sectarian violence again."

Sectarian attack: 3 killed, 6 injured in Parachinar – The Express Tribune

 

[ejazr]

Al Jazeera did a feature on the Hazara shias being killed in Pakistan

http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/pakistan/36883-al-jazeera-pakistans-hazara-under-attack.html

 

[Zebra]

Shia Genocide Report: 58 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan in January 2012
Shia Genocide Report: 58 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan in January 2012 | LUBP

Shia Genocide Report: 71 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan during February 2012
Shia Genocide Report: 71 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan during February 2012 | Pakistan Blogzine

Shia Genocide Report: 30 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan in March 2012
Shia Genocide Report: 30 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan in March 2012 | Pakistan Blogzine

 

[Zebra]

Shia Genocide Report: 58 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan in January 2012
Shia Genocide Report: 58 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan in January 2012�|�LUBP

Shia Genocide Report: 71 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan during February 2012
Shia Genocide Report: 71 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan during February 2012 | Pakistan Blogzine

Shia Genocide Report: 30 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan in March 2012
Shia Genocide Report: 30 Shia Muslims target killed in Pakistan in March 2012 | Pakistan Blogzine