 |
| Right: Irfan Khudi Ali, Left: Ali Abbas Zaidi Courtesy: Ali Abbas Zaidi (http://ow.ly/gLfEQ) |
10th of January, 2013, Thursday night was catastrophic for the Hazara Ethnic Community of Quetta when in a dual bomb blast atleast 100 Hazaras were murdered in cold blood. As usual Lashkar-i-Jhangwi accepted the responsibility. A well known peace activist Irfan Khudi Ali from Hazara community was among the deceased. The corpses were completely mutilated due to bomb blast and the unfortunate relatives of the deceased had to collect their body parts. Irfan was buried without an arm.
Sadly and shamefully people are completely unaware of the tragic condition of Hazaras in Balochistan. They even don't know who are Hazaras. Senior journalists from Islamabad even, confuse Hazara Ethnic group of Quetta with Hazara Division of KPK. Let me clear it here that both are entirely different things. Hazara is an ethnic community and more than 0.5 Million of them are settled in Quetta since last 200 years. There are many prominent Hazaras whose services to Pakistan can never be forgotten. General Musa Khan was a Hazara. More on Hazara People can be learnt from here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazara_people.
Hazara belong to Shia Muslim Sect and this is the reason that they are being persecuted badly by extremists. Since 2000 more than 1000 Hazaras have been killed by LeJ and Jindullah militants. The Thursday attack was the most brutal one in the history of Hazaras. More than 3000 victims have become physically disabled in bomb blasts. About 3500 of Hazara youth while trying to flee to Australia have been drowned in the waters between Indonesia and Australia.
But the last attack, again was the most brutal, deadly and barbaric. In the response none of the peaceful Hazara people tried to take law and order situation in hand but are sitting silently on Alamdar road, Quetta with 86 unburied corpses, waiting for justice. While media is busy in providing coverage to demagogues and their fake agendas of Marchs and Sit-Ins, nobody is giving any heed to hundreds of these voiceless victims sitting in the chilling cold (-10 Degrees) of Quetta under the open sky since 48 hours.
 |
| F-6 Vigil (Source: http://ow.ly/gLfLA) |
On Friday, a vigil for deceased Irfan Khudi Ali was set up in front of F-6 Super Market where dozens of people gathered in solidarity. On Saturday a protest was arranged by Friends of Hazaras, later joined by more than dozen other organisations, civil society, human right activists and people in individual capacity. Leading human right activists including Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, Marvi Sermid, Tahir Abdullah and Bushra Gohar were present in the Islamabad protest. The protest is still on and the people have been sitting right there since last 9 hours in solidarity with Quetta Sit In under the open sky, in the hope of Justice. Similar protests were arranged in Lahore, Karachi, Hyderabad and London.
While all media attentions are diverted to non issues, social media activists on real grounds and on social media are trying to make the protest spread worldwide. The murderers are wandering freely and are identified but state is not accepting the responsibility to provide security to its citizens. It is the high time that the need to stand against terrorism, barbarism, sectarianism and fascism be felt by everyone. Today it was Irfan Khudi Ali, tomorrow no one will be safe. More than that, the situation of the families of the deceased can not be realised unless we stand with them in complete solidarity thinking them our own brothers and sisters.
 |
| We are all Hazara (#weareallhazara) |
According to Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi, friend of Irfan Khudi Ali, Irfan's mother asked him that her son had been buried without his hand and now his hand is in your hand. We don't have to let her down. We are with you Khudi Ali. Today we have to say that WE ARE ALL HAZARAS. The updates about the protests can be accessed on twitter using the tags #ShiaGenocide, #ShiaGenocidePK and #Hazara.
I am posting some pictures and videos of the Islamabad protest.
 |
| Marvi Sermid speaking to the protestors |
 |
| Dr. Farzana Bari addressing the protest |
 |
| Dr. Hoodbhoy addressing the protest |
 |
| Madressa Students threatening us not to chant slogans against SSP and LeJ right in front of Press Club Islamabad (This Madressa is allegedly funded by a self-proclaimed national scientist) |
 |
| Hope! Lighting Candles! |
 |
| Yasin Changezi: My friend, a young guy who had to quit his education midway due to Hazara Persecution |
 |
| In front of press Club Islamabad |
Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy addressing the protest (Video)
No comments:
Post a Comment