Balochistan killings: Death toll rises to 8, strike observed
A shutter-down strike is being observed in Quetta against the targeted sectarian killings carried out in different parts of Balochistan.
The strike was called by Hazara Democratic Party, chief of the Hazara tribe Sardar Saadat and Azadari Council. Different political and trade unions also backed the strike.
Special security arrangements have been done in order to avert any untoward incident.
On Saturday, seven members of the Hazara community were killed in two apparently coordinated drive-by shooting incidents on the outskirts of the provincial capital.
Gunmen riding on motorcycles had fired a volley of gunshots at a bus stop in the Hazar Ganji neighbourhood near a vegetable market, while in a separate incident, two intending pilgrims from the Hazara community were killed, while they were waiting at the bus stop to catch a bus for the Pak-Iran border town of Taftan.
Soon after the first attack, a heavy contingent of police and paramilitary Frontier Corps cordoned off the area and mounted a manhunt for the killers.
The senseless killings sparked violence in some neighbourhoods of the city where members of the Hazara community took to the streets. Protesters went berserk, allegedly barged into houses and harassed residents.
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@Butt Jee: So that's the reason Pakistan army grew large beards and now look with suspicions on the Hazara soldiers in the army? You doubt so many for Hazara killings! You are confused just like Hazaras and Balochs. In this psychological war only the government can find the real culprits. And as we all see government reaches out the sceene when all victims are either killed or critically injured! Hazaras are not stupid. They are not afraid as well. They just want peace where ever they live. Hazaras have served Pakistan by their best. If Pakistan had not eyed Afghanistan, Hazaras had not seen this day. Pakistan ISI should work in only two locations in Quetta that's all. Catch the killers on the spot and find out if they are BLA, TTP, RAW or any other group. It is intelligence job. Why Hazaras are paying all these? Is it wrong If they had defended their lands and houses in Aghanistan against Taliban (Afghani or Pakistani) ? Should Hazaras be punished by Pakistan for their stance against foreign or local invaders in Afghanistan in the past? And why Pakistan wants Pashtuns against rest of the Afghans? 60-65% of Afghans are non-Pashtuns! I think Justice is so expensive compared to Hazara lives in Pakistan!
Thanks to Iran and Saudi Arabia for financing this day for all of us. They are our true murderers. On the cause of religion they have killed so many fathers,sons, brothers and husbands. Today no one but muslims are killing muslims! What kind of religion is Islam?
@Basharat Ali: while many would want to share your optimistic view, but the majority you are appealing to is SILENT - which makes them partners in crime - remember, we are criminals both by acts of commission as well as omission - and omitting to help someone when they need our support and voice is as big or perhaps even a greater crime than actually committing one.
Hey! That guy looks like chinese. He even has a chinese character tattoo-ed on his left arm.
@Critics: Who so ever is protecting these barbarians should be considered as their abettor and if some one from the provincial Government is doing so then the Federal Government Should take strict measures to crush the criminals and their abettors. In my opinion your assumptions are not correct. The issue of sectarian killings in Pakistan is not that simple as you have stated. All these terrorist Groups including TTP are on the same page and are being manipulated by foreign intelligence agencies for their own nefarious objectives. There are foreign elements who want to destabilize Pakistan and also want to spoil our relations with Iran. BLA is also involved in these killings. These elements have been accusing Pakistan Army, ISI and FC is killings and disappearances. With these allegations they have forced the Government to withdraw the troops to the barracks. Now the entire field is open for them to let loose their reign of terror.
May Allah hasten the reappearance of Imam Mehdi (a.s.)
Enough is enough now shia has to come out of their homes and take the charge
somebody is playing tricks with Pakistan,may be returning some old favours.
Abbas Ahmad: "Even if we believe your false story then they killed two people and there is law against it" We are being killed for the last ten years on daily basis, there is no law and you talking about your LAW here. Your thinking against minorities is quite typical in Pakistan.
As always fools will blame U.S. for this.
@Amjad Oh come on, do not make up such a story. Its a common knowledge now what armed Hazaras did yesterday. They attacked and entered homes in Raisani town, Faisal Town and M. Hasni fort etc. So the incident that you are falsely narrating is not the only of its sort. Even if we believe your false story then they killed two people and there is law against it. You can idiotically justify it by giving example to what people do with bandits in Lahore. For your kind information it was Sialkot not Lahore. Where is the common sense and rationality in your comment.
We all condemn the cold blooded murder if Hazaras by LeJ terrorists but this sort of reaction is also condemned and should not be blacked out in media like its being done now....
@abbas: those two were also gunmen came to shoot at hazara protesters. the youth of the hazara caught them redhanded and as they have no trust in police they did what people in lahore do to the bandits .no one has ever been revenge killed by the hazara community. i am a pahktun and my relatives live in quetta. don't play blame game on the victim hazara community.
@Butt Jee: Don't forget Punjab's LEJ and Malik Ishaq! Lej is a sensitive piece on the chess board for Pakistan to calmdown Taliban! To spare Punjab from the wrath of Pashtun Talibans, Punjab has raised this LEJ! Be sincere and accept this truth! No terrorist can be friends! Never forget this!
shameful nation.
We share the agony of our Hazara brothers. Total anarchy due to Provincial and Federal Governments' failure.
@Ajju: I am not a shia but I feel guilty if I do not share your grief and and stand by you if so needed. Revenge by munafiqeens is still continuing.
This is the same as the previous attacks held on the Hazara community in the past years. Their main target is to create impatience between the shia and the sunni. Both sides would urge for a civil war as no one will sit quitely after seeing his father or brother dying. But, no one ever thinks of who is the one behind this all bloodshed. The ones who cause this disturbance use it as a veil to hide there true faces. And the inncents have to confront the liablities of what they have done. Why are the killers never caught? This is just because they have the support of the officials. So instead of arguing with one another and asking the other sectarians to raise a voice against the killing, all of us should raise a voice being a single body against those who are participating in this killings.
the silent majority of this country is complicit.
I believe America is giving air to sectarian violence in Pakistan and specially in Balochistan (bcz its near to Iran) so to destabilise Pakistanis and when they attack on Ira there is no such confrontations as there will be already a sectarian war in Pakistan. I am very confused now. If i start taking revenge of all these incidents i will be doing what the enemies of Islam want. But at the other hand i cannot see so many innocent ppl killed every day. What to do now, do something or to be silent. I think now responsibility lies mostly to all Sunnis who love Pakistan. They should raise a strong voice and pressurise Govt to stop this. As this is ultimately going to damage Pakistan. Believe me frnds Shias are 20% of pakistan and mostly are well educated and serving country. Don't force them to start thinking against Pakistan as we cannot see our ppl being killed every day. I cannot stop myself from loving Pakistan. I love this country and i dnt want to leave it or break it. Plz Majority sunni muslims whom i believe are against this killing raise ur voice so to stop this... Thanks u
i request government officials to stop this before the threshold is crossed. there will be a civil war, i can assure you of it. i am shia and my friends, couzines are loosing their patience.