Quetta: Hazaras protest against targeted killings

November 11, 2012 - Updated 1610 PKT



Quetta: Protesters belonging to Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) staged demonstration against the targeted killings of the members of the Hazara community, demanding arrest of the culprits, Geo News reported on Sunday.

Led by HDP Vice Chairman Mirza Hussain Hazara, the party workers chanted slogans against the Balochistan government for what they said its failure to curb the unending targeted killings.

Speaking on the occasion, party leaders condemned the killings of Hazaras and said the incidents of targeted killings were taking place in the city but the government had failed in discharging its duties.

They demanded of the government to immediately resign, as it had no right to rule after its failure in establishing its writ.

The Hazaras are the much-affected community of the sectarian targeted killings in volatile Balochistan province, facing ethnic and sectarian violence.

Geo TV

Pakistani Taliban's Threat Looms on Baluchistan

"........ Conflict Monitoring Center’s field researchers reported that Tehrek-e-Taliban Pakistan is expanding its operations in Pashtun areas of Baluchistan. Zhob district is badly affected by TTP militancy. Sectarian militants targeting Hazara community are mostly Bloch and the close networking between Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and TTP can create a bridge between Bloch nationalist rebels and Taliban militants, which will make the security situation in the province even worse... " 

TTP’s looming threat in Pashtun areas of Baluchistan

Majority of the affected districts belongs to Bloch population however; now Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is gaining grounds in Pashtun districts of the province. The district of Zhob is increasingly falling into the hands of TTP militants who are consistently targeting tribal elders. This is a tactics they used in FATA to paralyze the existing cultural and social system. In FATA, these militants effectively destroyed the Malik and Jirga system to implement their brand of Shriah Laws. Under pressure from Pakistani security forces in FATA, the TTP is not only relocating its infrastructure but also expanding itself beyond a restricted area where it is relatively easy for the forces to conduct a military operation to root them out. The influx of TTP in the province is expected to make security situation worse. The militancy in Baluchistan is complex in nature where overlaps of the type of insurgents make it somewhat difficult to understand who is fighting for what cause. The Bloch nationalist militants are generally of secular and liberal thoughts but most of the militants targeting Hazara community also belong to Bloch ethnicity. It is no secret that the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which targets Hazara community in the province, is also working closely with Pashtun TTP. Sectarian militants of Bloch origin can work as a bridge between anti-state Bloch militants and the Taliban. Any such united front will be devastating for the security situation in the province. Zhob district of the Baluchistan province is increasingly becoming safe haven for TTP militants. The district borders with South Waziristan Agency of FATA and Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunekhwa Province. Conflict Monitoring Center’s field researchers have reported an alarming development that some of the influential clerics of the province are now supporting TTP clandestinely. After establishing strong holds in certain areas, the TTP commanders have started to issue threats to the local tribal elders to obey their orders. Those who resist are becoming targets of the TTP. On September 28, the TTP carried out an attack on the residence of a local tribal elder Sardar Qaymo Kabaz. The Sardar was injured along with three other people. Local tribal elders and traders are upset with the latest development. On September 17, Frontier Constabulary came under attack in adjoining Lora Lai district. One FC personnel was killed. The FC arrested ten suspects from the area. Although only one violent incident was recorded in Zhob district but the developments taking place are of worrying nature. If the looming threat is not assessed at its initial stages and adequate measures are not taken at right time, the Pashtun belt of the province, which remained generally peaceful, may become more violent than the Bloch belt because the TTP is better equipped and more experienced than the nationalist rebels active in the province. The response from security forces in Baluchistan remained limited to just one search operation in Quetta where they arrested 15 suspected militants and recovered two SMGs, five pistols, three motorbikes, one mobile phone and two bottles of liquor during the operation. 

Conflict Monitoring Center 

TTP's Threat Loom on Balochistan; Pakistan Security Report 

Talibanisation touches dangerous level in Balochistan: report

Tahir Khalil
Sunday, November 11, 2012
From Print Edition

ISLAMABAD: Talibanisation has touched a dangerous level in Balochistan. The Pashtun Tehreek Taliban and the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have joined hands with each other, in a move seen as extremely harmful for Balochistan.

This was revealed in a report that claimed the law and order situation in Balochistan has taken a new direction due to the collusion of two groups. According to the report, district Zhob in Balochistan is under the control of the Taliban where Talibanisation is rapidly increasing. Like Fata, the extremists are targeting pro-government tribal leaders in the district.

The report, issued by the Conflict Monitoring Centre Islamabad, said that militancy in Balochistan has taken a complex shape. Among the Baloch community some of the formerly secular individuals in Balochistan have tilted towards extremism. It is not a secret that the militants of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi are targeting the Hazara community of Balochistan. On the other hand, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Balochistan is working in the Pashtun areas.

According to the report, Talibanisation is touching the red line in Balochistan and the Taliban are issuing orders to the local tribal Sardars. The report further revealed that the operations and activities of the security forces have been confined in Balochistan as a result.

THE NEWS 

Daily Jang 

Sectarian Murder: Hazara man slain in Quetta

By Our Correspondent
Published: November 10, 2012

QUETTA: Gunmen riding a motorcycle shot dead a man of Hazara origin in Arbab Karam Khan Road area of Quetta on Friday, police said. The victim died on the spot.

Police rushed to the crime scene soon after the incident and shifted the deceased to the Civil Hospital. The deceased was identified as Ghulam Raza and belonged to the Hazara community. No group has claimed responsibility of the targeted attack as yet. A case has been registered against the assailants and an investigation is under way.

Meanwhile, members of the Majlis-e-Wadatul Muslimeen staged a protest on the Prince Road neighbourhood of Quetta against the killings of Hazaras.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2012.

Quetta Target Killing of Hazaras (08/27/2012)