Persecution of Hazara people in Baluchistan – SMG Report Shia Muslim Genocide

The Shi’a Hazara community in Baluchistan, in Pakistan, has been the target of persecution and violence.[2][3][4] Terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have often accepted responsibility for conducting attacks on Hazaras in Pakistan.

Shi’a Hazaras have been living in Afghanistan before partition since 1880s. Almost all migrated due to persecution by Abdur Rahman Khan and a good part in the 1990s due to ethnic cleansing by the Afghan Taliban. Their ethnicity is easily identifiable due to their physical features.[5]

Perpetrators

Acts of violence involving Sunni Muslims and their Shia counterparts in Pakistan have been evident since the 1980s. They are generally considered to have arisen from attempts by the then national leader, Zia ul-Haq, to legitimise his military dictatorship and from the influx of weapons into the country following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Although the perpetrators often do not claim responsibility for the attacks, expert analysis suggests that in recent times it is the Sunnis who are dominating the aggression and that they are motivated by the ideology of Al-Qaeda.[6]

Quetta, which is the capital of the Pakistani province of Balochistan, has seen numerous of these violent incidents. This is in part because of a separatist movement involving militants from the ethnic minority who desire greater autonomy and also because the Pakistani military is engaged in counter-insurgency operations near to the province’s border with Afghanistan, where there is tribal strife that involves the Taliban and allied groups.[7]

It is widely assumed that the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Sunni Muslim extremist militant group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and Sipah-e-Sahaba, is behind the attacks on the Hazara community in the region.[8][9] There are differences of opinion regarding whether LeJ is a breakaway group of a banned former political party, Sipah-e-Sahaba, or simply its armed wing.[6] The LeJ openly issues death threats to Hazaras through newspaper ads and describes them as wajib-ul-qatl (deserving of death).[5] Lashkar-e-Jhangvi operates from sanctuaries in Afghanistan.[10][11]

Response

Various advocacy groups, such as the Hazara People International Network, have been formed to publicise the situation and promote opposition to it.[12] The Hazara diaspora in Australia, Western Europe and North America have also joined these protests from time to time.[13] Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, the political leader of the Hazara in Afghanistan, has also expressed solidarity with the Hazara community in Quetta.[14][15]

The persecution carried out against the Hazara have been documented by the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Asian Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.[16][17][18][19][20][21]

Former Balochistan chief minister Aslam Raisani was asked to resign by protesters after Mastung Massacre.[22] Mahmood Khan Achakzai, and Sardar Akhtar Mengal condemned the killings and demanded that the Pakistani security establishment take stern action against those involved in terrorism and acts of violence against civilians.

Hazaras have also asked the government to deploy soldiers in Quetta to provide them protection from the attacks.[23] Many Hazaras demanded that Pakistan army should take control of the province.[24]

In response, many members and leaders of Lashkar-e Jhangvi (LeJ) have been killed in military operations conducted by the army and the police.[25][26][27][28][29]

Timeline of attacks

2001

February 9:

Eight passenger were shot dead and five severely wounded when they were traveling in a van en route from Hazara Town to Alamdar road. Later, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for the attack.[30][31]

2003

June 8:

Twelve Young Hazara police cadets were killed when two assailants opened fire on their vehicle. The attack occurred on Saryab Road and left nine others injured.[32]

July 4:

Fifty five people were killed and over 150 were injured in an attack on worshipers during Friday Prayers on Mekongi road Quetta.[33]

2004

March 2:

At least 60 people were killed and more than 100 critically injured when a religious procession of the Shia Muslims was attacked with extensive open-firing which followed an explosion by rival Sunni extremists at Liaquat Bazaar in Quetta on Tenth of Muharram. Lashkar-e Jhangvi claimed the responsibility.[34][35][36]

2007

January 10: Agha Ghulam Ali, aged 25, owner of the famous fruit juice outlet in Pakistan. His father Agha Abbas had also been murdered by the same Sunni Muslim terrorist organization in May 2002.[37]

2010

September 3:

At least 73 people were killed and 206 injured when a bomb exploded during a rally.[38]

April 16:

On April 16, 2010, a suicide bomber killed 12 people and injured 47, including MNA Syed Nasir Ali Shah, his son, his guards,a journalist and two police officials, in an attack on Quetta’s Civil Hospital. The attack took place after the body of Ashraf Zaidi, a Shia bank manager, shot dead earlier in the day by extremists, was brought to the hospital. The attackers evidently targeted the hospital knowing that members of the Shia community and their elected MNA would be gathering at the hospital in the aftermath of Zaidi’s killing. LeJ claimed responsibility for the attack.[39]

2011

May 6:

Eight died and fifteen were wounded in the early morning when armed men fired rockets at Hazara people playing outside in an open field. Children were also among the victims.[40][clarification needed]

June 16:

Abrar Hussain, the Pakistani Olympian boxer and Chairman Balochistan Sports Board, was assassinated near Ayub National Stadium in Quetta.[41][42]

August 31:

Thirteen died and twenty-two were wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the morning of Eid near Hazara Eid Gah. Four women and two children were also among the dead.[43]

September 20:

A bus carrying pilgrims to Taftan was stopped in Mastung near Quetta, after identifying Hazara passengers they were massacred leaving 26 dead. Three more were shot dead when they were on their way to collect the bodies.[44]

September 23:

Five more Shia Hazara were casualties in an attack when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a van.[45]

2012

January 26:

Three Hazara men were shot dead in Quetta. Two of the victims were public servants and the third one Abid Ali Nazish, was a television artist.[46]

March 29:

A taxi carrying passengers from Hazara Town was sprayed with bullets, which killed seven and injured six.[47][48] Three women and some children were also among the casualties. This was the third attack on the community in just one week.[49] Two boys under 16 were shot dead by the police as they tried to disperse angry protesters blocking traffic, raising the death toll to nine.[49]

April 3:

Two Hazara men were shot dead in Mekongi road, Quetta, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) claimed responsibility for the attack.[50]

April 9:

Six men were killed by unidentified gunmen on Prince road.[51]

April 12:

Three businessmen, one Tea trader and two Ice cream parlour owners, were gunned down in the busiest bazaars of the city, in two separate incidents.[52]

April 14:

Eight Hazara men were killed on their way to work when armed assailants opened fire on a taxi carrying them on Brewery Road.[53]

April 21:

Two brothers were shot dead on Brewery road near SBKW University adjacent to Hazara Town, Quetta. The Pakistani paramilitary force of Frontier Corps later arrested three suspects with the help of locals.[54][55]

May 15:

Two brothers were killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on them while they were standing in the line outside Passport issuing office on Joint road, Quetta.[56]

June 28:

15 people were killed and 45 others injured, when a suicide attack occurred on a bus in Quetta which had just returned from Iran carrying 60 pilgrims including scores of women and children belonging to the Hazara community.[57] Among the dead were four women and two children.

November 6:

“Assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on a yellow taxi cab on Spinny Road”: 3 Hazaras killed, 2 injured.[58]

2013

10th Jan 2013:

Several bombings took place in the southwestern Pakistani in the city of Quetta, where four separate explosions a few minutes apart in the evening ripped through a snooker hall Alamdar Road in a neighborhood dominated by ethnic Hazara Shiites, killing at least 115 people in total and wounding more than 270.[59] The first explosion happened inside the hall, and a vehicle was blown outside the club by one of the attackers on the arrival of police officers and journalists. The second explosion killed five police officers along with one cameraman. Due to the overabundance of casualties, the hospitals were overwhelmed. It was, according to one Hazara leader, the worst attack in Quetta in 14 years. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a sunni terrorist organization, has claimed the responsibility of these attacks.[60][61]

16th Feb 2013:

A big bomb blast at Kirani Road near Hazara Town of Quetta killed 73 and wounded at least 180 people from Shia community. The deadly bombing comes after 36 days of Governor Rule in Balochistan that was imposed following Alamdar Road’s twin bombings on Jan 10 in Quetta which had claimed more than 100 lives of Hazara people.[62] attacks. Banned sunni terrorist outfit Lashkar Jhangvi (LJ) claimed responsibility for the bombing.[62]

30 June 2013:

At least 33 Hazaras were killed (including 9 women and 4 children) and over 70 seriously injured (15 in critical condition) when Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists carried a suicide attack and exploded an improvised explosive device in a crowded area in Ali Abad, Hazara Town area. The attacks were meters away from Abu Talib mosque near Blakhi chowk (4-way) in Ali Abad. The attack, once again, has happened despite the fact that the entire area is cordoned off by security agencies and every person entering the area is checked. Al-Qaeda affiliated Lashkar-e Jhangvi (LEJ) terrorists called NNI and claimed responsibility for the Attack.

1 Jan 2014

4 Shi’a Hazra Muslim killed 35 injured in a bomb attack on their bus in Quetta, Baluchistan.

29 January 2014

Kaneez Fatima injured in Mastung bomb blast died in Karachi.

21 April 2014

Two Shia Hazara Najeebullah and Juma Khan were targeted to kill near Saryab road Quetta, Baluchistan.

29 July 2014

Two Shi’a Hazara youth Syed Jawad and Syed zakir Hussain were targeted to kill in Quetta by terrorists of Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat -ASWJ.

4 October 2014

A suicide bomber blew himself in gathering of Shi’a Hazara community in Hazara Town Quetta, Baluchistan. 5 Shia Hazara killed and 12 were injured in that incident.

23 October 2014

12 Shi’a Hazara Muslim were killed and 5 injured near Hazarganji Market in Quetta in a attack committed by Lashkar-i-Jhangvi -LJ aka Sipah-i-Sabahah- Pakistan -SSP. At that same day one Hazara Shi’a was targeted to kill on Kirani Road Quetta.

31 October 2014

6 years old Shi’a Hazara minor girl Seher Batool was killed after raped by a Deobandi cleric member of anti-Shi’a militant organization.

12 November 2014

Sajadia , an Imambargah in Quetta came under attack by the ASWJ , two Shi’a Hazara Shakir and Naveed lost their lives during the said attacks.

26 November 2014

A Shi’a Hazara Shabbir Hussain was targeted to kill at Saryab road Quetta by ASWJ.

13 December 2014

Shia Hazara Abdul Wahid succumbed to his injuries in Quetta after getting injuries in a bobm blast.

21 March 2015

Shia Hazara Amir Ali, employee of Baluchistan Police was targeted to kill in Quetta by ASWJ.

27 April 2015

Terrorists of ASWJ anti-Shia militant organization attacked on a bus and killed three Shia hazara in Quetta.

25 May 2015

Three Shi’a Hazara were targeted to killed in Quetta in three separate target killing incidents.

27 May 2015

Two Shia Hazara were killed and 1 injured in a attack committed by ASWJ in Quetta Baluchistan.

(Data of Shi’a Hazra Genocide has been taken from the Book ‘Shi’a Genocide in Pakistan: Myth or reality , compiled by Aamir Hussaini , published by Tameer-i-Pakistan Research Institute Pakistan in 2019)

References