G-B sectarian killings: Committee recommends ‘rapid response force’
A parliamentary panel on human rights has recommended the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government set up a well-equipped ‘rapid response force’ to stop the recurrence of incidents like the Kohistan and Babusar sectarian assaults.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights, headed by Riaz Fatyana, is on a visit to G-B to probe the recent surge in incidents of sectarian violence – especially attacks on bus passengers belonging to the Shia community.
In Quetta, meanwhile, the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights has stressed upon the Balochistan government to evolve a comprehensive strategy to curb sectarian killings.
The NA delegation in G-B met the region’s officials, clerics, journalists and members of civil society to investigate the incidents, and document and compile their findings.
“The force should be equipped with sophisticated weapons and have the backing of helicopters and satellite devices to trace down terrorists who succeed in escaping after killing civilians,” Fatyana said on Wednesday.
He added that G-B had immense tourism potential and asked the government to carve out a special independent police force to provide protection to tourists.
The delegation also suggested the regional government to do more to remove the mistrust between Sunnis and Shias.
In February this year, 16 men were hauled off buses in Kohistan and shot dead in cold blood by unidentified assailants disguised in military fatigues. Fifteen out of the 16 passengers killed were Shias.
In a similar incident last month, terrorists shot dead 25 passengers after plucking them from three buses in the Babusar area.
Senate committee in Quetta
Members of the Hazara community, religious scholars and relatives of victims of sectarian target killings told a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights that more than 700 people of the Hazara community were killed in sectarian attacks.
They added that despite having approached provincial and federal authorities, no serious action has been taken over the issue so far.
They also said that the provincial government had failed to provide them security. Many heirs of victims have not been compensated since 1999, they added.
Members of the committee Senator Afrasiab Khattak and Senator Mushahid Hussain said that the Senate body was in Quetta to hear their grievances and would present them in the Upper House.
Khattak observed that Balochistan was confronted with many problems, including the issue of missing persons, and assured that they would raise all issues one by one.
Furthermore, during Wednesday’s meeting, relatives of Sunni religious scholars who were killed in sectarian attacks told the committee that 36 religious scholars were killed since 2010.
Balochistan Home Secretary Nasebullah Bazai also briefed the committee and said that 105 people were killed in 37 different incidents of sectarian violence in Balochistan this year. In 2011, 118 people were killed in 21 different incidents of sectarian violence.
Bazai further said that 10 people had been rounded up by law enforcement agencies in connection with sectarian killings and cases were registered against them.
He also informed the committee that ‘concrete steps’ had been taken to provide security to Shia pilgrims travelling to Iran.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2012.
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@ Saad: I just came to know from a source in GB police department that police has arrested 7 people, said to be involved in killings of three people (names are mentioned by you). These accused are under trial in ATC. On the other hand, police has not arrested even one culprit involved in killings of almost 70 innocent people on KKH. It is worth to mention that before 1988 attack of miscreants from Chilas and Kohistan on Gilgit, there was no violence in the GB.
What happened to the Killers of Jamshed Jadoon, Judge of Anti-terrorism court in Gilgit. who was murdered in 2006. What happened to the Killers of Sakhi ullah Tarin IGP of Gilgit who was murdered in 2005. Where is the Justice happening? These committees are only to befool us.....
Ah... yes... brings to mind the days of FSF, if anyone remembers...those were the days when a "well equipped force" was drawn up to maintain law and order but used to maintain the PM in power.
What are the long term recommendations of the parliamentary committee?
Instead of escaping with reactive, cosmetic and ad-hoc "policy-making", the government should create a robust, proactive, mechanism to nurture a culture of pluralism and peaceful coexistence throughout the country and Gilgit-Baltistan.