Parliamentary delegation arrives in Quetta to meet protesters

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Hazaras shout slogans as they protest against the bombing which killed 89 people, in Quetta on February 18, 2013. Thousands of members of the Shia community refused for a third day on Tuesday to bury victims of a devastating bomb attack on their community, demanding protection against record levels of sectarian violence. — AFP Photo

A six-member parliamentary delegation met with Balochistan Governor Zulfiqar Magsi on Tuesday prior to talks with participants of a sit-in being staged in Quetta against Saturday’s carnage, DawnNews reported.

The delegation comprised of Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, PPP MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, PPP MNA Nadeem Afzal Chan, PPP Senator Sughra Imam, PPP MNA Yasmeen Rehman and Federal Minister for Political Affairs Maula Bakhsh Chandio.

Thousands of Hazara men, women and children are continuing their protest sit-in for the third consecutive day. They refuse to bury those who died in Saturday’s explosion on Kirani Road, HazaraTown, unless action is taken against the perpetrators.

The protesters’ demand at all these places is the same: Call in the army in Quetta and take immediate action against the extremist militant group, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, which in recent months has played havoc with Shias, mainly the peaceful Hazara community of Balochistan, through a string of attacks.

The delegation is expected to hold negotiations with the protesters and convince them to bury the victims.

DAWN

PM orders for targeted operation in Quetta

DAWN.COM




Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.—File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has ordered on Tuesday the security forces to begin targeted operations in Quetta, DawnNews reported.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s spokesperson, Prime Minister Raja ordered for the initiation of targeted operations in Quetta adding that those responsible for the Quetta carnage should be targeted.

The statement further said that immediate action should be taken in those areas where information indicates presence of terrorist elements and that security forces should conduct targeted operations.

The spokesman further said that the prime minister would monitor the Quetta operation.

Moreover Prime Minister also ordered for the removal of Balochistan’s Inspector General of Police, Tariq Umer Khatab, and replaced him with Mushtaq Sukhera media channels reported. The prime minister also ordered the transfer of various other police officials posted in Balochistan.

Meanwhile, thousands of Shia protested for a third day in Quetta, demanding the army take control of the city and launch a targeted operation against sectarian militant groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ).

The group claimed responsibility for the bombing Saturday that killed 87 people and one in January that killed at least 93.

DAWN

Quetta tragedy: MQM submits adjournment motion in Senate

February 18, 2013 - Updated 1616 PKT
From Web Edition



ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)'s senator Tahir Mashadi submitted adjournment motion in Senate over Hazara killings in Quetta on Monday, terming the tragedy as failure of secret agencies, Geo News reported.

Tahir Mushadi pointed in adjournment motion that killings of 96 people in Quetta blast is the evidence that government has failed to assured protection of members of Hazara community and no strategy has been made to foil such attempts.

The Senator said that truck was filled with explosives in workshop to attack Hazara community but security agencies remained unaware.

Mashadi demanded of the government to arrest criminals immediately and to make strategy to overcome terrorism.

THE NEWS

Sit-ins held in several cities over Quetta carnage

DAWN.COM



People in Karachi shout slogans as they react against Saturday’s bomb attack in Quetta, Feb 17, 2013. — Photo by AFP

KARACHI: Demonstrations were held in different cities of the country including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Monday on the call of the Shia Ulema Council over the deadly bombing in Quetta that claimed at least 84 lives, DawnNews reported.

Traders in Karachi had announced a shut-down until 4:30 om whereas the protestors continued their sit-ins.

Shops and markets were earlier shut down in parts of Karachi and traffic was scarce. Furthermore, a number of government and private educational institutions were also closed and the strike was also affecting the schedule of the flights and trains to and from the city.

Women and children were also partaking in the sit-ins being held at the city’s M A Jinnah road’s Numaish chowrangi, Aisha Manzil, Ancholi, Shahrah-i-Pakistan and Shahrah-i-Faisal.

Moreover, flight schedules were also being affected as the patch between Drigh Road and the airport was sealed. A sit-in was also staged on the railway track in Malir Town which had led to affecting the schedule of trains traveling to and from the city.

The protesters and participants of the sit-ins say they would continue to demonstrate until the demands of the heirs of those killed and wounded in the bombing are not met.

The Pakistan Bar Council, Sindh High Court Bar Association, Karachi Bar Association and Malir Bar Association boycotted court proceedings to protest against the killings of innocent citizens in Quetta.

Some enraged protestors in Islamabad engaged in rioting near the Faizabad bridge injuring several media persons including a camera man of DawnNews.

The routes to Islamabad airport were also blocked by the protestors.

Similarly the activists of the Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) held protests outside the Governor’s house in Lahore. Lawyers belonging to the Lahore Bar Association had announced a boycott of court proceeding over the Saturday’s carnage in Quetta.

Earlier on Sunday, demonstrations and sit-ins were held in most several and towns across the country. There were calls for handing over Quetta to the army to protect the life and property of the people, particularly of the Hazara Shia community.

DAWN

CJ takes suo motu notice of Quetta bombing

DawnNews




The Supreme Court will begin hearing the case on Tuesday, Feb 19, 2013.—File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top judge on Monday took suo motu notice of a deadly bombing which claimed 84 lives in Quetta, the provincial capital of restive Balochistan, DawnNews reported.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, will begin hearing the case from Tuesday, Feb 19.

Notices have been issued to the Attorney General and Advocate General Balochistan. The suo motu notice was taken on a notice forwarded by the SC Registrar’s office.

DAWN

زنان هزاره مانع خاکسپاری اجساد قربانیان انفجار کویته شدند

به روز شده: 10:42 گرينويچ - دوشنبه 18 فوريه 2013 - 30 بهمن 1391

زنان قوم هزاره پاکستان مانع دفن اجساد قربانیان بمبگذاری مرگبار اخیر در یک مرکز تجاری در شهر کویته شدند.

مسلمانان شیعه قوم هزاره نسبت به حمایت ناکافی نیروهای امنیتی محلی و ملی از خود در پی حملات مکرر اخیر خشمگین هستند.

انفجار روز شنبه گذشته در یک بازار شلوغ شهر کویته در جنوب غرب پاکستان، دست کم ۸۴ تن را کشت و ۱۶۹ نفر را زخمی کرد.

این دومین حمله بزرگ از نوع خود در سال جاری میلادی است که مسئولیت آن را یک گروه تندرو سنی موسوم به لشکر جنگوی به عهده گرفته است.

حدود چهار هزار زن از شامگاه روز یکشنبه در اعتراض به این کشتار دست به اعتصاب زده‎اند.

به گزارش خبرگزاری فرانسه، آنها گفته‎اند تا زمانی که اقدامی علیه بمبگذاران روی دست گرفته نشده، از برگزاری مراسم خاکسپاری قربانیان انفجار روز شنبه خودداری می‎کنند.

قیوم چنگیزی از رهبران هزاره پاکستان به این خبرگزاری گفت که "ما کشته شدگان را تا وقتی که عملیاتی هدفمند در این زمینه آغاز نشده به خاک نمی‎سپاریم".

گزارشها حاکی است که هزاران نفر از قوم هزاره اجساد قربانیان را به یک مسجد محلی منتقل کردند و به دنبال آن به عوض به خاک سپردن آنها، دست به اعتراض زدند.

هزاره ها چه کسانی هستند؟

هزاره ‎ها عمدتاً در مناطق کوهستانی مرکز افغانستان زندگی می‎کنند که هزاره‎جات نامیده می‎شود

بخش اعظم جمعیت هزاره شیعه مذهب و شماری از آنها پیرو مذهب سنی هستند

حد اقل ۶۰۰ هزار نفر هزاره در کویته پاکستان هستند که عمدتا از مهاجران افغان هستند.

بیشتر آنها در پی قتل عام هزاره‎ها در زمان سلطنت امیر عبدالرحمان خان در ۹۲-۱۸۹۱ از افغانستان به پاکستان مهاجر شدند.

شهر کویته برای هزاره‎ها یکی از راههای اصلی برای رفتن به زیارت شیعیان در ایران محسوب می‎شود.

تندروان سنی پاکستان هزاره‎ها را به وابستگی به ایران متهم می‎کنند

از اعتصاب و اعتراض در برخی جاهای دیگر پاکستان و از جمله شهر کراچی، پایتخت تجاری پاکستان هم گزارش شده است.

در همین حال، شماری از فعالان مدنی در ولایت بامیان در مرکز افغانستان هم اقدام به کلیکاعتصاب غذا کرده و خواستار مداخله سازمان ملل برای توقف کشتار هزاره‎های پاکستان شده‎اند.

گروه تندرو لشکر جنگوی گفته که در این بمبگذاری، که عمدتا هزاره‎ها را هدف قرار داد، دست داشته است.

این دومین حمله بزرگ و ویرانگر در شهر کویته در یک ماه اخیر بوده است. بمبگذاری ماه ژانویه حدود ۹۰ نفر را کشت.

انفجار بمبی دیگر در یک مسجد شیعیان در اواخر فوریه ۲۴ نفر را کشت که شمار کشته شدگان هزاره این نوع رویدادها را به بیش از ۲۰۰ نفر در دو ماه نخست سال ۲۰۱۳ میلادی رساند.

روز یکشنبه نواب ذوالفقار مگسی فرماندار بلوچستان پاکستان گفت که دستگاه‌های امنیتی و انتظامی این کشور "یا در حالت ترس از تروریست‌ها به سر می‎برند و یا اصلا خبر ندارند که با چه کسی طرف هستند".

او گفت: "این وظیفه آنها است که از وقوع این گونه حملات جلوگیری کنند. به همین دلیل به آنها حقوق پرداخته می‎شود."

حملات مکرر و هدف علیه هزاره‎های پاکستان، که صدها قربانی گرفته، شماری از آنها را مجبور به فرار از این کشور کرده 

است.

BBC Farsi

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on Kirani Massacre

LATEST STATEMENTS

New York, 17 February 2013 - Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on sectarian violence in Pakistan

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the terrorist attack carried out yesterday in Quetta, Pakistan, targeting the Shi’a Hazara community which resulted in more than 80 persons killed and nearly 200 wounded, many of them women and children.

This is the second terrorist bombing in the same city and against the same community since last month. In the face of this latest attack on religious and ethnic minorities in Pakistan, the Secretary-General calls for swift and determined action against those claiming responsibility and perpetrating such actions.

The Secretary-General conveys his heartfelt condolences to the families of all the victims. 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.

UN