Hazaras targetted in Pakistan
Updated
Human rights activists in Pakistan are demanding action after a brutal attack killed at least 13Shia Muslims, members of the minority ethnic Hazara group. Gunmen opened fire on passengers on a bus, near the south western city of Quetta. The attack is the latest against Hazaras
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TONY EASTLEY: Human rights activists in Pakistan are demanding action after a brutal attack killed at least 13 Shia Muslims, members of the minority ethnic Hazara group.
Gunmen opened fire on passengers on a bus near the south-western city of Quetta.
The attack is the latest against Hazaras.
South Asia correspondent Sally Sara reports.
SALLY SARA: The latest attack has deeply shocked human rights activists.
Pakistani police say gunmen armed with automatic weapons opened fire on a bus carrying a group of mostly Shia Muslims on the outskirts of Quetta.
The Shi'ites were members of the minority Hazara ethnic group.
Hazaras have been targeted in a series of killings.
Mustafa Qadri, Pakistan researcher with Amnesty International, says the situation in Quetta is extremely violent.
MUSTAFA QADRI: Quetta is one of the most dangerous cities in all of Pakistan. That means everyone living in that city lives with a lot of fear.
The Hazaras we speak to regularly talk of rarely leaving their homes, rarely leaving their neighbourhoods, because they know that they're being targeted.
Often they will get death threats over the phone. They will get letters saying that they will be killed.
At the moment they're particularly scared.
SALLY SARA: Many of the Hazaras fled from neighbouring Afghanistan and are regarded as outsiders by their enemies in Pakistan's Balochistan province.
They are also condemned by Sunni Mulsim extremists for practising Shia Islam.
Mustafa Qadri says the Hazaras have become the focus of a violent campaign.
Two weeks ago, 26 Hazara Shia pilgrims on their way to Iran were shot dead outside Quetta.
MUSTAFA QADRI: It seems they are now targeting Hazaras in Balochistan because they're an easy target.
Why I say that is when you have extremist groups - groups linked to al-Qaeda - being able to do these attacks with impunity it gives them the message that they can continue that, that they can proliferate and they can expand their activities.
So for Pakistan and the world, ensuring that Hazaras and everyone else is protected from these attacks is really critical.
SALLY SARA: A militant group from Pakistan's Punjab province has been blamed for the latest attack. It's claimed responsibility for previous killings.
Zora Yusuf from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan says the Hazaras of Quetta are terrified of further murders but the Pakistani government is not taking action.
ZORA YUSUF: There is an extreme sense of fear and helplessness.
Those who can, you know, some have left the province.
We have brought it to the attention of the government. The government of Balochistan is quite ineffective, but even the federal government has not taken adequate measures.
SALLY SARA: Hazara leaders are bracing for more attacks as the level of security in Quetta continues to deteriorate.
This is Sally Sara reporting for AM.
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abc.net.au/news/2011-10-05/hazaras-targetted-in-pakistan/3299160?section=world
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