QUETTA: Six people who were earlier killed in sectarian targeted attacks were buried in their ancestral graveyard in Hazara Town and Marriabad on Tuesday amid strict security measures in Quetta.
The funeral prayers of four victims were offered in Hazara graveyards in eastern-bypass and two in Marriabad. Scores of religious scholars and leaders of Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) participated in the funeral prayers.
Six people belonging to Hazara community were killed and three others injured when a group of armed men on two motorbikes opened fire at a shoe-making shop at Prince Road on Monday night. All the victims were shoe-makers. The banned outfit Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) claimed responsibility for the killings.
Talking to the media, President of Shia Conference Ashraf Zaidi said that the government is not serious to book the culprits behind the targeted killings of Hazara community.
“We are patriotic Pakistanis and will not leave Quetta out of fear,” he said. “Neither Baloch nor Pashtuns are our enemy because a handful of criminals are trying to create serious law and order problem in the city by targeting the Hazara community.”
The mourners raised slogans against the government and the law enforcment agencies for their failure to curb sectarian targeted killings in Quetta.
Stringent security measures have been adopted across Quetta with the deployment of security forces and police to maintain public order. Most of the shops on Prince Road remained closed to mourn the deaths.
The patrolling police party of City Police Station within the jurisdiction of the incident was suspended following the directives of Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani.
A police inspector and six other personnel were suspended soon after the incident.
The police have conducted raids in different parts of Quetta and detained dozens of suspects for interrogation. Three separate teams of Central Investigation Department (CID), Investigation and District Police were constituted to investigate the killings.
DIG Operations Qazi Wahid said the incident could be a reaction to a recent crackdown against target killers. “Police are making their utmost efforts to control the situation,” he said.
According to an official of Balochistan Government, the chief minister warned the police that the concerned police officers will be suspended if any targeted killing takes place in their jurisdiction.
COMMENTS (17)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
on 12th April 3 more shia were killed but no coverage in Qta city...... i think it is state policy to kill shia people all around the country........
"Victims of sectarian violence laid to rest", it was story of last day. Fresh victims are yet to bury as today April 12, 2012 at around 7 o'clock evening four more Hazaras were massacred by the same devils in two different incidents. The first incident took place at Shahra-e-Iqbal Quetta where armed terrorists targeted a Hazara tea merchant where as an other Hazara sustained bullet injuries. The second incident of massacre occured just after interval of 15 minutes in Liaquat Bazar at a Juice shop. Three members of Hazara community were massacred in the incident. So far, the incident has not been reported in any online newspaper.
@bigsaf: The best way is not to seek ground for individual beliefs, but to abolish the ground of belief itself. Both are finished and Pakistan becomes Pak in its true sense. Its people will look back upon their past as extended ignorance of centuries. No US or its camouflaged henchmen Mullahs can stop Pakistans progress.
In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. --Martin Luther King
@Noise small thieve or big thieve they are thieves and treated equally i think and this is the case against all these reliegous fanatic whether its ST, ISO, Sipahe Muhammadi or SSP. and by the way shias are not bad in pakistan compare to other sunni muslim countries and some incidents happend so to sunnis too are getting discriminated and killed.
@Ali Tanoli Amazing that you included ISO, millat e Jafria and ST in the list since they dont call for the Takfir and discrimination of others based on religion, and SEM despite it's being a terrorist organization only targets members and allies of ASWJ & LEJ.
You're trying to pull a "two wrongs dont make a right" argument but the fact here is that only one faction is doing wrong and has abandoned all humanity and decency. Until people like you come forward and condemn the madmen from your own community without any ifs and buts then this problem is not going to go away. Recognize a murderer for a murder and stop thinking of them like some sort of hero. The ignorance, silence and spinelessness of your people is the cause of this slaughter, monsters are bred in your mosques and madressahs and yet you turn a blind eye. You have taken a back seat and your religious leadership fall into the hands of the most ignorant and lowest people of your community, men who are hateful, jealous morons.
Government isn't going to take an action against the killers. Let's all get united and join hands to protect our Hazara brothers.
@bigsaf, Violence and discrimination in the name of faith is shame and i think whether it ASWJ, LEJ. Sapa e Muhammad, Sapa e Sahaba, millat e jafferia, Imamia Student Organiszation, S,T or any one is wrong and should be condemn and state should put ban on them and if any one is involved get behind the bar.
@Ali Tanoli: That shared common belief and generalized statement for peace and non-violence is great and welcomed, and should usually go without saying. It's okay to disagree with one's beliefs.
But as I mentioned it'll all be for moot if supporting ASWJ and refusing to condemn LeJ by name. Because they are more than just 'disagreeing' and a stand needs to be taken.
@bigsaf As a true muslim and believer of One Allah and his last prophet Muhammad peace be upon him i believe killing of any human being is forbiden in islam and shia muslims are included even though i dont agrees there believes.
@Ali Tanoli: I'm sure your comment is sincere and welcomed. But, there's an inherent contradiction that weakens the impact, making it look meaningless or hypocritical. Allah (swt) can help Pak once it's citizens realize some things need to change and act. This includes the govt.
You support ASWJ, a notorious extremist anti-Shia group. They are joined at the hip to the militant terrorist L-e-J, as their members are active in both parties. Because of the support there's an indirect contribution to hate that translates to violence against minorities due to their ideology. There is no justifying this support and needs to be a collective condemnation, instead.
Stop this Shia Holocaust