Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
From Alamdar to Kirani
By Amina Jilani
Published: February 22, 2013
amina.jilani@tribune.com.pk
From January 10, when 93 people were killed in bomb blasts in Quetta to February 16, when 89 men, women and children died in a massive bomb blast in the same city, bringing the Quetta toll of death to 182, and all in the space of one month and five days — was this not time enough for a government to act in some manner, considering that the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) proudly claimed that they were the murderers, as they now have done? Their targets were poor Shias of Quetta, who have lived in fear and trepidation of their lives for long.
Since the LeJ are getting away with murder and mayhem and the governor of Balochistan, who presides over a pathetic governor’s rule, has admitted that “there is chaos everywhere and the state does not seem to be effective” (“does not seem to be” is ridiculous, it ‘is not’), therefore, we can expect more killings of Shias.
The federal government and all the petrified pillars of state have abdicated, done a Pontius Pilate, washing their hands off the entire matter of murder. The law minister has declared that “the situation is not so bad that the army should be deployed in [Quetta]”. The Supreme Court pronounced that the prime minister should bear responsibility for the carnage. Well, as everyone knows, he can take responsibility for nothing.
And the head of state is far more involved in the election process — approving symbols, trying to galvanise his party, plotting the caretaker set-up, and so forth — than he is in dwelling upon the safety and welfare of the citizens of the country. Since he runs the government and all else, other than the awkward judiciary and the overweening military, the responsibility for law and order and the lives of mainly the poor and deprived (high profile victims there have been but low in proportion to the rest) sits firmly on his head.
However, he and the others, who form the so-called ‘leadership’ can do nothing but ‘condemn’ all terrorist attacks and that too anonymously, as they avoid mention of the perpetrators, even though their identities are plastered all over the press — the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Lashkar-this and the Lashkar-that, or whoever it may be who deals in death.
What is it with these people who sit, or rather cower, in high chairs? Are they all too frightened out of their skins that they dare not name names, or act in any way to prevent the dance of death that extends from Balochistan, over to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and down to Karachi? The sole security they are worried about is their own. Security arrangements involving the dual head of state and political party co-chairman are a joke as they cross all boundaries of logic and smack of cowardice. The same applies to the hundreds of minion ministers, to the chief justice of Pakistan, and somewhat disgracefully, even to the military top brass — the guardians paid to guard the nation.
Reported in the national press on February 19 was a news item detailing how the Rawalpindi roads are ‘cleared’ for the COAS to pass on his daily voyages. On February 18, a lawyer was clobbered by a soldier’s rifle butt when he parked his car in an area that had been ‘cleared’. And in September 2012, two police officers were manhandled when they attempted to cross a road on the COAS’s route. This is utter nonsense, as is the size of the motorcades that accompany the corps (sometimes mistakenly written corpse) commanders (at least he of 5 Corps) when they travel from point to point on roads that are ‘cleared’ for them.
So, these men, paid to protect the lives and livelihoods of the common citizens of Pakistan,have no will or intent to so do. That being so, Hazara Shias and other Shias and all other citizens will continue to be at the non-mercy of the militant groups who have a free hand to murder and maim in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2013.
Published: February 22, 2013
amina.jilani@tribune.com.pk
From January 10, when 93 people were killed in bomb blasts in Quetta to February 16, when 89 men, women and children died in a massive bomb blast in the same city, bringing the Quetta toll of death to 182, and all in the space of one month and five days — was this not time enough for a government to act in some manner, considering that the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) proudly claimed that they were the murderers, as they now have done? Their targets were poor Shias of Quetta, who have lived in fear and trepidation of their lives for long.
Since the LeJ are getting away with murder and mayhem and the governor of Balochistan, who presides over a pathetic governor’s rule, has admitted that “there is chaos everywhere and the state does not seem to be effective” (“does not seem to be” is ridiculous, it ‘is not’), therefore, we can expect more killings of Shias.
The federal government and all the petrified pillars of state have abdicated, done a Pontius Pilate, washing their hands off the entire matter of murder. The law minister has declared that “the situation is not so bad that the army should be deployed in [Quetta]”. The Supreme Court pronounced that the prime minister should bear responsibility for the carnage. Well, as everyone knows, he can take responsibility for nothing.
And the head of state is far more involved in the election process — approving symbols, trying to galvanise his party, plotting the caretaker set-up, and so forth — than he is in dwelling upon the safety and welfare of the citizens of the country. Since he runs the government and all else, other than the awkward judiciary and the overweening military, the responsibility for law and order and the lives of mainly the poor and deprived (high profile victims there have been but low in proportion to the rest) sits firmly on his head.
However, he and the others, who form the so-called ‘leadership’ can do nothing but ‘condemn’ all terrorist attacks and that too anonymously, as they avoid mention of the perpetrators, even though their identities are plastered all over the press — the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Lashkar-this and the Lashkar-that, or whoever it may be who deals in death.
What is it with these people who sit, or rather cower, in high chairs? Are they all too frightened out of their skins that they dare not name names, or act in any way to prevent the dance of death that extends from Balochistan, over to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and down to Karachi? The sole security they are worried about is their own. Security arrangements involving the dual head of state and political party co-chairman are a joke as they cross all boundaries of logic and smack of cowardice. The same applies to the hundreds of minion ministers, to the chief justice of Pakistan, and somewhat disgracefully, even to the military top brass — the guardians paid to guard the nation.
Reported in the national press on February 19 was a news item detailing how the Rawalpindi roads are ‘cleared’ for the COAS to pass on his daily voyages. On February 18, a lawyer was clobbered by a soldier’s rifle butt when he parked his car in an area that had been ‘cleared’. And in September 2012, two police officers were manhandled when they attempted to cross a road on the COAS’s route. This is utter nonsense, as is the size of the motorcades that accompany the corps (sometimes mistakenly written corpse) commanders (at least he of 5 Corps) when they travel from point to point on roads that are ‘cleared’ for them.
So, these men, paid to protect the lives and livelihoods of the common citizens of Pakistan,have no will or intent to so do. That being so, Hazara Shias and other Shias and all other citizens will continue to be at the non-mercy of the militant groups who have a free hand to murder and maim in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2013.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Quetta dead to be buried today: Relatives agree to end sit-in
From the Newspaper | Saleem Shahid |
Shia mourn next to the bodies of their relatives, a victims of Saturday’s bombing that killed scores of people, as relatives refuse to bury their dead in protest, in Quetta, Pakistan, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. — Photo by AP
QUETTA: At a late-night press conference, leaders of Shia organisations and Hazara community announced that relatives of the people who had died in Saturday’s terrorist attack had agreed to start burying the dead at 9 on Wednesday morning and end their sit-in.
The leaders included Allama Amin Shaheedi of Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen; Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara, chief of the Hazara tribe; and Qayyum Changezi of the Quetta Yekjehati Council. They are accompanied by Agha Ghulam Abbas and Ghulam Raza who have lost several dear ones in the attack. They said there were 113 bodies in the camp which would be kept overnight.
Earlier in the evening, the protesters holding the sit-in with the bodies of the dead had insisted on continuing their sit-in after what was described as success of negotiations with a parliamentary delegation from Islamabad. The Shia leaders had announced their decision to end the sit-in and start burying the bodies. Balochistan Governor Zulfiqar Magsi had attended the talks.
The protesters said they would not bury the dead till their main demand of handing over Quetta to army had been met.
Till late in the evening there were reports of protesters in some other cities of the country taking the same position. They said they would end their protest only if the sit-in was ended in Quetta.
After negotiations with the parliamentary delegation, the leaders said they had been assured that a targeted operation would be launched against banned extremist organisations involved in attacks on the Hazaras.
They also said the bodies of the victims of the Karani Road carnage would be buried soon.
But Ghulam Ali Hazara told reporters in Hazara Town that the heirs had refused to burry the dead till the handing over of Quetta’s control to the army.
Hundreds of relatives of the victims remained sitting with the coffins at Imambargah in Hazara Town despite heavy rain and cold weather. “We will end our protest only when the army takes over security of Quetta and launches a targeted operation against banned organisations.”
After the negotiations, the Shia leaders had left the Hazara Town area. “The government has accepted all our demands,” they told reporters.
The parliamentary delegation comprised Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, Maula Bakhsh Chandio, Afzal Nadeem Chan, Hazar Khan Bijarani, Sughra Imam and Yasmeen Rehman. After arriving in Quetta, they held a meeting with Governor Magsi, Frontier Corps IG Major General Obaidullah Khattak, IG Police Tariq Omar Khitab, Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad, Home Secretary Capt (retd) Akbar Hussain Durrani and other senior officials of the army and intelligence agencies at the Governor’s House. The meeting discussed the protesters’ demand of handing over Quetta to the army and launching a targeted operation.
In the afternoon, the delegation went to Hazara Town and met leaders of Shia organisations.
After about two hours, the two sides announced success of the talks.
Allama Shaheedi, Sardar Saadat Ali and Qayyum Changezi announced that they would end their sit-in and bury the dead because the government had assured them that the army would carry out an operation.
“We are going to end our sit-in and protest and ask the protesters across the country to end their sit-in and disperse peacefully,” Allama Shaheedi said.
He said that after successful talks with the government, burial of victims would take place.
“We have formed a three-member committee to monitor the fulfilment of the federal and the provincial governments about the army operation and we will launch sit-ins and protest again if another act of terrorism takes place again.”
Mr Kaira told newsmen that the FC and other law enforcement agencies had already launched an operation against the groups involved in sectarian killings. Four terrorists had been killed and dozens of other suspects had been arrested so far, he added.“The army will also carry out the operation which will continue till all suspects wanted in cases of sectarian attacks are apprehended,” he said.
Mr Kaira said the government had accepted all demands of the Hazara leaders.
Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara said they would try to complete burial on Wednesday.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who returned here after an official visit to Iran, joined the parliamentary delegation at the Governor’s House.
He told reporters that the government would declare the Shia-Hazara areas of Quetta as a red zone.
He said the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Jaish-i-Mohammad and Sipah-i-Sahaba were working as a syndicate and carrying out bomb attacks against the Shia community.
The syndicate of three banned outfits, he said, had stopped target killings and were now carrying out bomb blasts like the one on Karani road in which potassium and sulphuric acid had been used.
Shia mourn next to the bodies of their relatives, a victims of Saturday’s bombing that killed scores of people, as relatives refuse to bury their dead in protest, in Quetta, Pakistan, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. — Photo by AP
QUETTA: At a late-night press conference, leaders of Shia organisations and Hazara community announced that relatives of the people who had died in Saturday’s terrorist attack had agreed to start burying the dead at 9 on Wednesday morning and end their sit-in.
The leaders included Allama Amin Shaheedi of Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen; Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara, chief of the Hazara tribe; and Qayyum Changezi of the Quetta Yekjehati Council. They are accompanied by Agha Ghulam Abbas and Ghulam Raza who have lost several dear ones in the attack. They said there were 113 bodies in the camp which would be kept overnight.
Earlier in the evening, the protesters holding the sit-in with the bodies of the dead had insisted on continuing their sit-in after what was described as success of negotiations with a parliamentary delegation from Islamabad. The Shia leaders had announced their decision to end the sit-in and start burying the bodies. Balochistan Governor Zulfiqar Magsi had attended the talks.
The protesters said they would not bury the dead till their main demand of handing over Quetta to army had been met.
Till late in the evening there were reports of protesters in some other cities of the country taking the same position. They said they would end their protest only if the sit-in was ended in Quetta.
After negotiations with the parliamentary delegation, the leaders said they had been assured that a targeted operation would be launched against banned extremist organisations involved in attacks on the Hazaras.
They also said the bodies of the victims of the Karani Road carnage would be buried soon.
But Ghulam Ali Hazara told reporters in Hazara Town that the heirs had refused to burry the dead till the handing over of Quetta’s control to the army.
Hundreds of relatives of the victims remained sitting with the coffins at Imambargah in Hazara Town despite heavy rain and cold weather. “We will end our protest only when the army takes over security of Quetta and launches a targeted operation against banned organisations.”
After the negotiations, the Shia leaders had left the Hazara Town area. “The government has accepted all our demands,” they told reporters.
The parliamentary delegation comprised Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, Maula Bakhsh Chandio, Afzal Nadeem Chan, Hazar Khan Bijarani, Sughra Imam and Yasmeen Rehman. After arriving in Quetta, they held a meeting with Governor Magsi, Frontier Corps IG Major General Obaidullah Khattak, IG Police Tariq Omar Khitab, Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad, Home Secretary Capt (retd) Akbar Hussain Durrani and other senior officials of the army and intelligence agencies at the Governor’s House. The meeting discussed the protesters’ demand of handing over Quetta to the army and launching a targeted operation.
In the afternoon, the delegation went to Hazara Town and met leaders of Shia organisations.
After about two hours, the two sides announced success of the talks.
Allama Shaheedi, Sardar Saadat Ali and Qayyum Changezi announced that they would end their sit-in and bury the dead because the government had assured them that the army would carry out an operation.
“We are going to end our sit-in and protest and ask the protesters across the country to end their sit-in and disperse peacefully,” Allama Shaheedi said.
He said that after successful talks with the government, burial of victims would take place.
“We have formed a three-member committee to monitor the fulfilment of the federal and the provincial governments about the army operation and we will launch sit-ins and protest again if another act of terrorism takes place again.”
Mr Kaira told newsmen that the FC and other law enforcement agencies had already launched an operation against the groups involved in sectarian killings. Four terrorists had been killed and dozens of other suspects had been arrested so far, he added.“The army will also carry out the operation which will continue till all suspects wanted in cases of sectarian attacks are apprehended,” he said.
Mr Kaira said the government had accepted all demands of the Hazara leaders.
Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara said they would try to complete burial on Wednesday.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who returned here after an official visit to Iran, joined the parliamentary delegation at the Governor’s House.
He told reporters that the government would declare the Shia-Hazara areas of Quetta as a red zone.
He said the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Jaish-i-Mohammad and Sipah-i-Sahaba were working as a syndicate and carrying out bomb attacks against the Shia community.
The syndicate of three banned outfits, he said, had stopped target killings and were now carrying out bomb blasts like the one on Karani road in which potassium and sulphuric acid had been used.
Quetta tragedy: End to country-wide sit-ins announced
February 19, 2013 - Updated 1827 PKT
From Web Edition
QUETTA: The sit-ins/protests to show solidarity with the martyrs of Quetta tragedy have been called off after the negotiations between the Hazara community leaders and government concluded successfully, Geo News reported
The announcement was made at a press conference following a successful meeting between the government delegation led by Balochistan Governor Zulfiqar Magsi and elders/Ulema leading the main sit-in in Quetta.
During the press conference, Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen leader, Allama Ameen Shahidi, appealed to all the protestors in the country to call it a day and go home.
"I appeal to all my friends to peacefully disperse. God forbid, if such a tragedy befell us again we will go for countrywide sit-ins once more", said Shahidi.
According to sources, consensus was reached on the constitution of a three-member committee to evaluate the targeted operations being conducted in the province.
Leaders of the Shia Ulema Council and Shia Solidarity Council were also present during the talks with the government.
Announcing to start the burial of the martyrs, the chief of the Hazara tribe, Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara directed the Hazara community to prepare for the last rites of their departed dear and end the sit-in.
Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said compensation will be given to the families of the victims.
Meanwhile sit-ins in Karachi were also ended.
From Web Edition
QUETTA: The sit-ins/protests to show solidarity with the martyrs of Quetta tragedy have been called off after the negotiations between the Hazara community leaders and government concluded successfully, Geo News reported
The announcement was made at a press conference following a successful meeting between the government delegation led by Balochistan Governor Zulfiqar Magsi and elders/Ulema leading the main sit-in in Quetta.
During the press conference, Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen leader, Allama Ameen Shahidi, appealed to all the protestors in the country to call it a day and go home.
"I appeal to all my friends to peacefully disperse. God forbid, if such a tragedy befell us again we will go for countrywide sit-ins once more", said Shahidi.
According to sources, consensus was reached on the constitution of a three-member committee to evaluate the targeted operations being conducted in the province.
Leaders of the Shia Ulema Council and Shia Solidarity Council were also present during the talks with the government.
Announcing to start the burial of the martyrs, the chief of the Hazara tribe, Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara directed the Hazara community to prepare for the last rites of their departed dear and end the sit-in.
Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said compensation will be given to the families of the victims.
Meanwhile sit-ins in Karachi were also ended.
Quetta operation: FC kills four militants including mastermind
By: Online
Frontier Corps conducted a search operation in the city area of Qambrani where at least four miscreants, including the purported mastermind of a devastating bomb attack, were killed in an exchange of gunfire with the security personnel overnight and seven were arrested , officials said.
Following Saturday’s massive bombing on Kirani Road that claimed lives of at least 90 people, the FC personnel conducted a search operation in Qambrani area of Kaly Barezai.
On the occasion, the miscreants entered exchange of fire with the security force that left four saboteurs dead.
The home secretary of Baluchistan province, Akbar Hussain Durrani, and Colonel Maqbool Ahmed from the paramilitary Frontier Corps said the killings and arrests took place during what they called an "ongoing operation".
"Those who were killed were high-profile targeted killers. They were involved in the killing of a Shiite judge and senior police officers," Durrani said.
One of the masterminds of Saturday's bombing in the Quetta suburb of Hazara Town was among those in custody, Durrani added.
The FC arrested several suspected miscreants from the area and shifted them to undisclosed location for interrogations.
Also, three bombs, detonators, mortar shells and numerous other firearms were seized from the criminals.
Frontier Corps conducted a search operation in the city area of Qambrani where at least four miscreants, including the purported mastermind of a devastating bomb attack, were killed in an exchange of gunfire with the security personnel overnight and seven were arrested , officials said.
Following Saturday’s massive bombing on Kirani Road that claimed lives of at least 90 people, the FC personnel conducted a search operation in Qambrani area of Kaly Barezai.
On the occasion, the miscreants entered exchange of fire with the security force that left four saboteurs dead.
The home secretary of Baluchistan province, Akbar Hussain Durrani, and Colonel Maqbool Ahmed from the paramilitary Frontier Corps said the killings and arrests took place during what they called an "ongoing operation".
"Those who were killed were high-profile targeted killers. They were involved in the killing of a Shiite judge and senior police officers," Durrani said.
One of the masterminds of Saturday's bombing in the Quetta suburb of Hazara Town was among those in custody, Durrani added.
The FC arrested several suspected miscreants from the area and shifted them to undisclosed location for interrogations.
Also, three bombs, detonators, mortar shells and numerous other firearms were seized from the criminals.
Parliamentary delegation arrives in Quetta to meet protesters
DAWN.COM |
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.
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.
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