Rights group urges govt to protect Shia Muslims

Published November 12, 2013
Shia Muslims take part in a religious procession held on the seventh day of Muharram in Quetta. -AFP Photo
Shia Muslims take part in a religious procession held on the seventh day of Muharram in Quetta. -AFP Photo

KARACHI: In a press release issued on Monday, a human rights group urged the government of Pakistan to act swiftly in order to prevent sectarian attacks on Shia Muslims that escalate during Muharram.

In a statement issued from New York, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that in recent years Sunni extremist groups affiliated with the Taliban and al Qaeda in Pakistan have claimed responsibility for attacks that have killed dozens of Shia during Muharram.

“Pakistan’s besieged Shia citizens should be able to participate in Ashura processions without fear of predictable attack while the government just looks on,” HRW country director Ali Dayan Hasan in a statement.

“The Pakistani authorities need to put all necessary security measures in place to protect the Shia population. Arresting extremist group members responsible for past attacks would be an important first step,” the statement added.

The statement recalled attacks by Sunni extremist groups on Ashura processions in Pakistan for the last several years. “In the days before Ashura in 2012, some 30 people were killed and at least 100 were wounded in five attacks. This deadly campaign culminated in a suicide bombing in the northwestern city of Dera Ismail Khan that targeted the Ashura procession, killing at least five people and wounding more than 90 others. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for all of these attacks,” the HRW statement said.

HRW release said that Pakistani Taliban and its affiliates such as the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have conducted unprecedented attacks in 2013 on the country’s Muslim and non-Muslim religious minorities, claiming responsibility for most major bombings and vowing further violence.

“Human Rights Watch has recorded dozens of attacks on Shia in 2013, including some of the worst attacks on the community in Pakistan’s history. More than 800 Shia have been killed in targeted attacks in Pakistan since 2012, including about 400 so far this year. In the first days of November alone, at least 15 Shia have been killed in several targeted attacks across Pakistan,” the statement said.

The release further said that Sunni militant groups such as the banned Lashkar-e Jhangvi have historically had links to the Pakistani military and its intelligence agencies.

“While the military denies any ongoing links to such groups, Lashkar-e Jhangvi continues to operate with impunity even in areas where state authority is well established, such as Punjab province and Karachi.”

“Pakistan’s federal government and the respective provincial governments should promptly apprehend and appropriately prosecute those responsible for the attacks in November and other crimes targeting the Shia population,” the statement said.

Opinion

Editorial

China security ties
Updated 14 Nov, 2024

China security ties

If China's security concerns aren't addressed satisfactorily, it may affect bilateral ties. CT cooperation should be pursued instead of having foreign forces here.
Steep price
14 Nov, 2024

Steep price

THE Hindu Kush-Himalayan region is in big trouble. A new study unveiled at the ongoing COP29 reveals that if high...
A high-cost plan
14 Nov, 2024

A high-cost plan

THE government has approved an expensive plan for FBR in the hope of tackling its deep-seated inefficiencies. The...
United stance
Updated 13 Nov, 2024

United stance

It would've been better if the OIC-Arab League summit had announced practical measures to punish Israel.
Unscheduled visit
13 Nov, 2024

Unscheduled visit

Unusual IMF visit shows the lender will closely watch implementation of programme goals to prevent it from derailing.
Bara’s businesswomen
13 Nov, 2024

Bara’s businesswomen

Bara’s brave women have proven that with the right support, societal barriers can be overcome.