**QUETTA: **Besieged members of the Shia community appealed to the army on Friday to take control of the provincial capital and shield them from extremist groups as the death toll from Thursday’s twin bombings soared past 100.
The outlawed extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has claimed responsibility for the deadly suicide and bomb attacks at a snooker club in the Shia-dominated Alamdar Road neighbourhood of the city.
On Friday, a thick pall of gloom hung over the city as businessmen and traders joined both nationalist and mainstream political parties in mourning the previous day’s carnage. All shopping malls, business centres and markets were closed in response to a call by the Anjuman-e-Tajiran Balochistan.
Roads and thoroughfares were deserted for the most part as motorists stayed indoors. In eerie silence, law enforcers and paramilitary soldiers patrolled the main roads and thoroughfares.
While the death toll rose to 102, hundreds of Hazara community members, who are Shias by sect, erected barricades and burnt tyres on Brewery Road and at Bacha Khan Chowk to protest Thursday’s massacre.
They shouted slogans against the provincial authorities and called for the army to take over the city.
Shia Ulema Council chief Maulana Amin Shaheedi criticised Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani over the country’s security.
“I ask the army chief: ‘What have you done with these extra three years you got (in office)? What did you give us, except more death?’” Maulana Shaheedi told a news conference. He was referring to a three-year extension in service given to Gen Kayani by then premier Yousaf Raza Gilani in July 2010.
Mourners had initially planned to bury the victims’ bodies after Friday prayers but decided later to leave the bodies in place until the community had received assurances of protection. Maulana Shaheedi said scores of bodies were still lying on the road. “They will not be buried until the army comes into Quetta.”
The Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) president echoed Maulana Shaheedi’s demand, saying that unabated violence has proved that the provincial government had no right to continue in power.
The HDP president, Abdul Khaliq Hazara, demanded that an interim government be put in place in the province in consultation with all stakeholders. If this does not happen, Hazara warned that sectarian violence could engulf all communities and ethnic groups living in the city.
The HDP president also hit out at law enforcement agencies for their “failure to stem the tide of targeted killings of Hazara community members”.
Three newsmen – Samaa TV reporter Saifur Rehman Baloch, cameraman Imran Sheikh and NNI news agency photographer Muhammad Iqbal – were also killed in Thursday’s twin bombings.
On Friday, they were buried in Quetta and Karachi. Senior politicians joined hundreds of mourners at the funeral of Saifur Rehman in Karachi.
The journalist community observed a black day across Balochistan to protest the killing of their colleagues. They hoisted black flags atop local press clubs and wore black armbands as a mark of protest.
In a statement, the Quetta Press Club president said bomb blasts and targeted killings had claimed lives of around 30 journalists in the province over the past four years – but the authorities were oblivious. (With additional input from Agencies)
*Published in The Express Tribune, January **12[SUP]th[/SUP], 2013.
[FONT=Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, times-roman, serif]they have even refused to burry their loved one deadbodies,still no condemnation from the Government,the Minister Raisani is in Dubai! Quetta is been a target for a while specially the shia community…is their demand justified?if not what else sholud be done to control the situation? **
Quetta: Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani has said the killing of 40 Hazaras in Mastung is not a big deal. While talking to media in Islamabad, Nawab Raisani saidOf the millions who live in Balochistan, 40 dead in Mastung is not a big deal. I will send a truckload of tissue papers to the bereaved families. I’d send tobacco if I weren’t a politician.
Chief Minister Balochistan is a shameless corrupt ruler who instead of condolence with dozens of bereaved families who have lost their breadwinners, mocks their coldblooded killings. What rule of law and security we could expect from a Chief Minister like Raisani? He is member of the Central Committee of Pakistan People’s Party and Chief Minister of Balochistan. Lawmakers on Monday in National Assembly discussing the ethnic cleansing of Hazaras demanded dismissal of the Balochistan Government and imposition of Governor Rule. With such a comment, the People’s Party leadership should not only dismiss the Balochistan Government, but also dismiss the basic membership of Raisani from PPP.
Re: Residents Of Quetta Demand For Army Control...
Army is also responsible (60-70 %) for Balochistan's situation.
Internal security aka policing is not the job of the army but the interior ministry. Govt should take over FC and Rangers completely from the army, but people right now have no trust in the govt to do anything. The whole of Pakistan from karachi to KP to balochistan is burning: I can understand the provinces, but why is karachi burning when there is no army deployed?
It is fair to ask that how Musharraf was able to keep a lid on things in karachi, for one, when he was in power from 2002-7. What is the purpose of the balochistan govt when either it is on a shopping trip to europe / middle east or is living in islamabad?
Re: Residents Of Quetta Demand For Army Control...
Internal security aka policing is not the job of the army but the interior ministry. Govt should take over FC and Rangers completely from the army, but people right now have no trust in the govt to do anything. The whole of Pakistan from karachi to KP to balochistan is burning: I can understand the provinces, but why is karachi burning when there is no army deployed?
It is fair to ask that how Musharraf was able to keep a lid on things in karachi, for one, when he was in power from 2002-7. What is the purpose of the balochistan govt when either it is on a shopping trip to europe / middle east or is living in islamabad?
really? what do you base that opinion upon? who said internal security is outside the pervue of the army?
BTW if the army can take over the government, lands, industry what not, that is not happening inside the country? are they taking over lands and industry abroad?
Re: Residents Of Quetta Demand For Army Control...
It was because of Musharraf that the MQM showed its true colours again in May 2007. He did keep a lid on it but only till it suited him.
Internal security aka policing is not the job of the army but the interior ministry. Govt should take over FC and Rangers completely from the army, but people right now have no trust in the govt to do anything. The whole of Pakistan from karachi to KP to balochistan is burning: I can understand the provinces, but why is karachi burning when there is no army deployed?
It is fair to ask that how Musharraf was able to keep a lid on things in karachi, for one, when he was in power from 2002-7. What is the purpose of the balochistan govt when either it is on a shopping trip to europe / middle east or is living in islamabad?
Re: Residents Of Quetta Demand For Army Control...
I can understand the Hazara or as they seem to be preferred to be called, the Changezi community being pro-Army and wishing they were deployed but that would annoy the Baloch nationalists.
I have visited Quetta and I have seen how difficult it is getting into Quetta because of the army check posts......so how are these sectarian outfits managing to do all this ? Quetta is a very cut off city. It is hours and hours away from other major urban areas. Have I answered my own question?
If the Pakistan Army can ruthlessly hunt Baloch nationalists why not LJ militants or would they be needed in the future?
Re: Residents Of Quetta Demand For Army Control...
Internal security aka policing is not the job of the army but the interior ministry. Govt should take over FC and Rangers completely from the army, but people right now have no trust in the govt to do anything. The whole of Pakistan from karachi to KP to balochistan is burning: I can understand the provinces, but why is karachi burning when there is no army deployed?
It is fair to ask that how Musharraf was able to keep a lid on things in karachi, for one, when he was in power from 2002-7. What is the purpose of the balochistan govt when either it is on a shopping trip to europe / middle east or is living in islamabad?
I know, the Balochistan government is incompetent thats why they dont want to take the powers from the army. And the army/FC doesnt seem to have any vision of how to proceed in these kind of situations. Musharraf was able to control Karachi through local government system, once the system was removed we are back to square one. MQM it seems wants absolute control of the city.
Re: Residents Of Quetta Demand For Army Control...
We need a good civilian government, one which has vision and can take back their powers back from the Army. Most probably that leadership would come from a Baloch Nationalist party.
Re: Residents Of Quetta Demand For Army Control...
May 12 was in 2007 and it happened under Musharraf. Musharraf allowed the MQM to become what they are now. It is obvious that before May 12 the MQM were allowed to stockpile weapons. As much as the current administration is also to blame, but had it not been for the previous government which must have allowed the MQM to stockpile weapons, the situation would not have been as bad.
I know, the Balochistan government is incompetent thats why they dont want to take the powers from the army. And the army/FC doesnt seem to have any vision of how to proceed in these kind of situations. Musharraf was able to control Karachi through local government system, once the system was removed we are back to square one. MQM it seems wants absolute control of the city.
Re: Residents Of Quetta Demand For Army Control...
Army is also responsible (60-70 %) for Balochistan's situation.
Army's involvement in Baluchistan, whenever it has been, has been directly or indirectly against elements like the BLA. Whats happening in Baluchistan right now is sectarian violence. One doesnt have anything to do with the other.
PPP has proven itself to be a miserable failure, which is why we have jiyalas yapping about blaming the army. The govt sits crapping in Islamabad, and doesnt even have the guts to ask after the 100 dead bodies lying on Quetta roads for 3 days. I have no qualms in saying that PPP is intentionally allowing matters to deteriorate rapidly, so as to hand over the country to the incoming govt in an awful state. That is the sickening nature of this party.
The Punjabi Taliban (Urdu: پنجابی طالبان), sometimes called the Tehrik-i-Taliban Punjab, is an alleged loose network of members of banned militant groups based in South Punjab, the southernmost region of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province. Major factions of the so-called Punjabi Taliban include operatives of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan and Jaysh-i-Muhammad, who have previously been involved in the Kashmir insurgency with India in Indian-administered Kashmir, a territory claimed and disputed by Pakistan. TTP has significant recruits from Punjab based sectarian organizations also called Punjabi Taliban.[10
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** You are writing above nonsense because either you are ignorant or deliberately ignoring the fact.**
ISI used the Taliban to establish a regime in Afghanistan which would be favorable to Pakistan, as they were trying to gain strategic depth.[SUP][37]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][68]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][69]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][70]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP] Since the creation of the Taliban, the ISI and the Pakistani military have given financial, logistical and military support.[SUP][15]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][71]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][72]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][73]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP]**
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According to Pakistani Afghanistan expert Ahmed Rashid, “between 1994 and 1999, an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 Pakistanis trained and fought in Afghanistan” on the side of the
Taliban.[SUP][74]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP]Peter Tomsen stated that up until 9/11 Pakistani military and ISI officers along with thousands of regular Pakistani armed forces personnel had been involved in the fighting in Afghanistan.[SUP][75]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP]**
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In 2001 alone, according to several international sources, 28,000-30,000 Pakistani nationals, 14,000-15,000 Afghan Taliban and 2,000-3,000 Al Qaeda militants were fighting against anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan as a roughly 45,000 strong military force.[SUP][21]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][22]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][76]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][77]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP] Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf – then as Chief of Army Staff – was responsible for sending thousands of Pakistanis to fight alongside the Taliban and Bin Laden against the forces of Ahmad Shah Massoud.[SUP][22]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][58]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][78]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP] Of the estimated 28,000 Pakistani nationals fighting in Afghanistan, 8,000 were militants recruited in madrassas filling regular Taliban ranks.[SUP][21]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP] A 1998 document by the (United States Department of State - Wikipedia) confirms that “20–40 percent of [regular] Taliban soldiers are Pakistani.”[SUP][58]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP] The document further states that the parents of those Pakistani nationals “know nothing regarding their child’s military involvement with the Taliban until their bodies are brought back to Pakistan.”[SUP][58]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP] According to the U.S. State Department report and reports by Human Rights Watch, the other Pakistani nationals fighting in Afghanistan were regular Pakistani soldiers especially from the Frontier Corps but also from the army providing direct combat support.[SUP][17]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP][SUP][58]](Taliban - Wikipedia)[/SUP]
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