Families mourn the death of relatives as they gather with coffins of bomb attack victims during a protest in Quetta. PHOTO: AFP
On February 16, a massive bomb ripped though a busy market in a Shia Hazara neighbourhood of Quetta, killing more than 80 people and injuring nearly 200.
The outlawed sectarian group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) claimed responsibility for the deadly bombing.
The families have refused to bury the dead in protest and the bodies are placed in different imambargahs of the city.
Quetta police chief Wazir Khan Nasir said, "We are going to resume negotiations with the Shia community leaders this morning to convince them to bury the dead.”
However Shia leader Qayyum Changezi said the protesters "will not bury the dead until a targeted operation is launched".
Spokesman for an alliance of Shia groups Syed Muhammad Hadi also said, “We stand firm for our demands of handing over the city to army and carrying out targeted operation against terrorists and their supporters.”
"We will not bury the bodies unless our demands are met."
The paramilitary Frontier Corps is largely responsible for security in Balochistan Shias say it is unable or unwilling to protect them.
The LeJ has stepped up suicide bombings and shootings recently. The group was behind a bombing last month in Quetta that killed nearly 100 people.
UN chief condemns
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "strongly" condemned the bomb blast in Quetta, calling on authorities to act quickly against those responsible, his spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
Noting that this is the second attack against the Shia community in Quetta in the last few weeks, Ban "calls for swift and determined action against those claiming responsibility and perpetrating such actions," Nesirky said in a statement.
He "reiterates the strong support of the United Nations for efforts by the Government and people of Pakistan to protect religious and ethnic minorities and to combat the scourge of terrorism," the spokesman added.
Earlier twin bombings in Quetta in January led to the imposition of governor's rule in the province.
COMMENTS (24)
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The UN can not do anything~~~~it has no teeth. The UN is just for moral pressure.
Do not blame the ARMY.
First CREATE the national and social WILL to root out terrorism at all costs.
It has to be a multi-pronged campaign. The terrorist do not occupy any geographic area. So the ARMY can do nothing. The ARMY knows how to fight a conventional war against another conventional enemy.
Is the US & NATO winning against the Afghan Taliban ?
Anti-terrorism is not a war that can be shown as a victory . remember Vietnam & Afghanistan .
No !!!!! It is not the army's job.
can you hear living dead ? !! these dead bodies are waiting to go to their final resting place :(
I personally think Pak should go back to military government .Democracy is simply not working.
Why Lashkar Jhangvi are rooming around without any action by army. Where is army and other law agencies. Where is government? This is country is going to sink if we (people) did not awake. We have to make decision to raise our voice against all these atrocities.
80 people died, nobody cares. Nobody resigns.
Dear Govt & Military
make peace in country before UN will come and bust you all and make one more east timor & south sudan
regards one pakistani
Dont leave until army operation demands are met , they created it they should clean this mess.
Government must take action against banned outfits and public must also play their part in stopping these hate factories which are producing hate, terror and extremism day and night. we must stop hate to stop shia killings. here is my take on this whole problem http://stopextremism.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/hate-is-the-reason/
The army should step in now . And for all those worrying that we stand for kashmiris, well they should look into their own country first; now do i need to teach them their current issues or they are simply ignorant about the insurgencies in their southern area? It would not be pleasant if Pakistanis teach them their own affairs, now would it?
Did the Hon'ble President take notice? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Oh He did ...of the Palestinian suffering.
Since the Baloch as well as the Hazaras are both being oppressed and killed it is time for them to join hands and go after their assailants and their protectors, both in uniform and out of it. Either join hands or perish separately.
its enough. Expel the heads of all intelligence agencies.
And the Pakistanis worry about kashmir???
Immediate action by COAS is required to save the lives and properties in whole country especially in Quetta and Hazara community. The people are fed up with the helpless government and army. We strongly condemn this genocide so Government should take immediate action. The people who have lost their relatives, friends, neighbors must be careful during next election. They must not vote in favour of the party who is not sincere with them
Now these people are demanding the presence of only Armed Forces. This speaks the volumes that all the down trodden people accept army as only legitimate body. So it is a slap to all army haters.
No PM visit this time, Just COAS should negotiate with protestor and ensure them safety and military presence out there.
UN must interfere in Quetta and take serious action to prevent human genocide.
please do something condemning is makes no difference
6th largest army in the world cannot protect its own citizens and citizens asking for UN peace keeping force for their protection.
Dnt understand then why citizens pay taxes for 60% budget for army every year. Fools!
genocide , its as simple as that and nothing in our country happens without a formal stamp from ISI and army. I am mighty sure these "Banned" outfits are being funded by rich families from Arab countries. It makes me wonder sometimes that Muslims living in India are more safe than Pakistanis. Come on UN, do something.
The area should have UN peacekeeping force?
Stop Condemning & Do SOMETHING like put pressure on calling in the ARMY in Pakistan
OIC will never condemn these acts. They will not even issue a statement expressing concern or suggest a fact finding mission. Would they send any relief to the victims families? NO.....Everyone knows the reason.
There are many more murders taking place in Baluchistan than in Israel or Kashmir. In fact Pakistan takes the gold in the murder of civilians in the whole world. There seems no hope or action by the courts and nuclear powered army, it is the duty of the UN to stop this genocide of minorities and smaller sects in Pakistan.