Family members gather around bodies of their loved ones killed in a blast in Quetta. PHOTO: AFP
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has called upon President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Pervaiz Ashraf to take personal initiatives to guarantee the security of the Hazara community.
According to a press release issued, HRCP Chairperson Zohra Yusuf requested President Zardari to visit Quetta.
“Within the seven weeks of this year two massacres of the [Hazara] community have already taken place in Quetta, claiming the lives of over 200 people, on top of hundreds of Hazaras killed in the last few years. The matter has become so grave that it has to be taken up at the highest level,” she said.
“In view of the grave situation, we suggest that you visit Quetta in the next few days — regardless of the outcome of talks with members of the targeted community who have been staging dharnas to protest the killings — because in our opinion the elements responsible for the killing of Hazaras are not amenable to authorities subservient to you. They may, however, be amenable to your direct initiative. Such a visit would also reassure the long-suffering Hazaras of your government’s commitment to protect them.”
The HRCP also sent a censuring letter to premier Ashraf.
“We believe that it is vitally important that this grave situation continues to be taken up at the highest level. After bombings in Quetta last month in which 115 Hazaras had been killed you had gone to Quetta and had promised to resolve the issue. Whatever measures you had ordered have apparently not succeeded in safeguarding the lives of the Hazaras,” it stated. “We call upon you to demand an explanation from the officials responsible on why the Hazaras could not be saved from this latest tragedy and why the instructions you had given them have not yielded results.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 21st, 2013.
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@cautious: Rubbish. The USA is closest to a broken democracy as there is in the developed world - thousands of persons lose their lives annually because it's the only nation in the developed world letting people hold semi automatic weapons at home - the prison and incarsination of minorities is highest in the developed world - the violence and poverty strickened inner city centers are a day and night contrast with the white dominated affluent suburbs - the list can go on and on... Yes, it's true that there is no comparison with Pakistan but there are countries, such as the Nordic nations, most of western europe, Canada, Australia where democracy in the 21st century is working far better.
@Lalai
Rubbish. The USA is the longest standing and most successful Democracy on the planet - their President is black (minority) - and each time some nutter decides to kill a minority every leader (political, religious and military) publicly condemns the act. It's not Democracy that's the problem it's the values (or lack thereof) of Pakistan.
This is an insult at its worst. Is the president so insentient and uncaring? Salams
Hazaras always were a keen pp voters, i wonder if this changes that!
Democracy is all about numbers. Alas! Hazaras have no numbers, so why bother for them. If you say Humanity, its just a fake word which doesn't mean anything in real world.
oops