| PAKISTAN: Brutal sectarianviolence against Shias continuesunabated |
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FOR IMMEDIATERELEASE An Article from the Asian Human RightsCommission PAKISTAN: Brutal sectarianviolence against Shias continuesunabated It is a recognized fact that a state's police and lawenforcement agencies play a critical role as the first lineof defense against the threats of terrorism andinsurgencies. Police is often failing to protect the members of religiousminorities including Ahmadias, Shias, Christians and Hindus.Militant groups are carrying out suicide bombings andtargeted killings across the country. The Taliban andaffiliated groups are increasingly targeting civilians andpublic spaces, including marketplaces, hospitals, andreligious processions. Although Shias are a minority in the country, Pakistan holdsthe second largest Shia community after Iran in terms ofnumbers. The total Shia population in Pakistan isapproximately 50 million and may be as high as 60 million.Globally, Shia Islam represents 10-20\% of the total Muslimspopulation, while the remaining 90\% or nine-tenths practiceSunni Islam. The increase in the number of suicide bombings and militancyhas added to the sectarian tension that is played out inMuharram (the month of mourning for the martyrdom of thegrandson of the Prophet PBUH) every year. A series of bombblasts and shootings, mostly targeting Pakistan's minorityShia community in recent years shows that sectarian violencein the country can be every bit as deadly as that instigatedby al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Attacks in Karachi, Peshawar,Quetta and the north-west seem to be manifestations of thebitter split between Sunnis and Shias. In most cases, no-oneclaims responsibility for such attacks. But Pakistan's fateful involvement in the Afghan-Soviet warof the 1980s, General Zia-ul-Haq's controversial'Islamisation' policies, and a sense of Shia empowerment inthe aftermath of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 hadthe combined effect of limiting the freedom of the Shia's topractice their religion and challenging their loyalty toPakistan. Among those blamed for the sectarian violence in the countryare mainly Sunni militants such as Sipah-e-Sahaba andmembers of Shia militant groups such as Tehrik-e-Jafria andothers. However, predominant Sunni terrorist groups areoften blamed for frequent attacks on minority Shiites andtheir religious gatherings resulting in reprisal attacks bythem. Pakistan's ISI-backed Punjabi judiciary once againdemonstrated its institutional hatred of Shia Muslims todayby releasing the notorious leader of the Jihadi-sectarianorganization Malik Ishaq, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (also knownas the Punjabi Taliban or Sipah-e-Sahaba). Punjabi judges,backed by Punjabi generals, released a Punjabi terrorist toenable further massacres of Shias, Ahmadis, Christians andother targeted communities. Malik Ishaq was released less than a week after hisfollowers killed at least 20 Shia Muslims in his home townof Rahim Yar Khan. On the last occasion he was released fromjail, he killed many Shia Muslims in various parts of thecountry, and the news items were either ignored ormisrepresented in Pakistan's mainstream media. He has nowembarked on his next bloody mission.
While right-wing proxies of Pakistan's militaryestablishment are legitimately celebrating Malik Ishaq'srelease, the ISI's liberal proxies in the English speakingclass are busy in blaming the prosecution, ignoring theimportant links between ISI and LeJ and ISI and thejudiciary. For example, Pakistan's English media routinelypresents Malik Ishaq as the "Sri Lankan team attacksuspect". Therefore, the murder of 70 Shias does notmean much to this class. Reference http://criticalppp.com/
Over the past three decades, violence between Sunnis andShias has ebbed and flowed, but two things are clear. First,despite spawning banned violent sectarian outfits of theirown, the Shias have largely been on the receiving end of theviolence. In recent years, the violence has spread fromsouthern Punjab and (sporadically) Karachi to Quetta inBalochistan, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas onPakistan's troubled border with Afghanistan.
Hundreds of Shias have been murdered by militants in Quettain the past few months. In the last couple of weeks, Shiashave been taken off buses, lined up and shot dead. Quetta,however, is not an exception. Shias are not safe in anymajor town in Pakistan. Their places of worship, religiousprocessions, and civilian and religious leadership has comeunder relentless attacks while the State's machinery haseither refused or failed to protect Shias and otherreligious minorities in Pakistan.
The organized systematic genocide of Shiite Muslims inPakistan has claimed 58 lives and injured 67 during themonth of January 2012 in 32 attacks.
Based on January 2012 statistics, the projected number ofdeaths per year could be somewhere in the vicinity of 500 to800 Shia Muslims killed per year and the number of thoseinjured could be estimated to be between 700 and 1000.
In terms of the total number of attacks in January 2012,Sindh, Karachi in particular, was most problematic (15attacks out of total 32), however, in terms of total deaths,Punjab proved to be most deadly province (36 out of 58deaths).
The list of recent sectarian attacks makes for grimreading:
September 2011: Gunmen open fire on a bus carry pilgrims atMastung in Balochistan province. At least 26 Shia Muslimsare killed
January 2011: At least 10 people killed after twin blaststargeted Shia Muslim processions in Lahore and Karachi.
September 2010:At least 35 Shias were killed and 160 peoplewere injured in a blast during a procession in Lahore.
September 2010: At least 50 people killed in a suicidebombing at a Shia rally in Quetta, south-western Pakistan
July 2010: Sixteen Shias killed in an attack on Shias innorth-western tribal areas
February 2010: Two bombs in Karachi kill at least 25 Shiasand injured more than 50 people.
December 2009: At least 40 people killed and dozens injuredin a suicide bombing on a Shia procession in Karachi
Feb 2009: Bomb attack on a Shia procession in Punjab leaves35 dead
The Punjab government for having a soft spot for terroristoutfits, especially The Jamat- ud- Dawah (JUD) and Lashkar - e- Jhangvi (LEJ). Granted that the Punjabgovernment must be held accountable for allowing theseorganisations and other extremist groups to hold publicrallies full of hate speech all over Punjab.
The Pakistani government claims that it has taken measuresto suppress the violence. The Pakistani Interior ChiefRehman Malik said the Shia population was in need of greaterprotection. Therefore, Islamabad ordered security forces tocarry out this task, yet the violence has continued.
Our voices should no longer remain muted. We must convincethe Pakistani government and its affiliates that it iscrucial to take greater action against the violenceperpetrated by these terrorists.
Officials must target the sources and support for thesectarian violence by apprehending known leaders and membersof Taliban-associated militant groups across the country.Their influence has reached major cities as well and must bestopped.
Saudi-funded madressas (Islamic schools), which areused to target impressionable children and youth and preachthe mentality that Shias are infidels, should be closelyregulated and, in some cases, shut down.
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