By: Azka Saeed Awan
Fighting hard for their recognition, the natives of central Afghanistan, the Hazaras, have now run thin on patience. It has been years their violences are documented, and not merely in the near past.
This Shia community is suffering from torments in Sunni majority country, Pakistan at the merciless hands of the anti – Shia group.
The victims of the oppression, after being dismissed from Hazarajat, Afghanistan, by Shah Abdur Rehman looked around for refuge in Pakistan, mostly concentrated in the regions of Balochistan and prominently, Quetta.
In the post 9/11 era up until now, the Hazara community has been targeted by extremist groups in Pakistan, taking them back to basics.
Since year 2012, over 500 Hazaras have been massacred.
In the recent episodes, 20 breathed their last while 48 were wounded, in April of year 2019 when a bomb was dropped at the cursed community in Quetta. Even the year 2020 was not a fortunate one while 2021 brought with it, the ponderous miseries. In this very fresh brutal pounce, 11 hazaras had to pay the sacrifice, later only to hear being called upon as “blackmailers”. Hazaras coal miners were mercilessly slaughtered. These recorded attacks were made by the cruel anti – shia group, LeJ, Lashkar -e- Jhangvi.
The Shia Hazaras called out on prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan to heed to their hues and cries and ensure them their rightful security.
The disentombed coffins were levitated for days to convey outrageous sorrows of the sacrificed Hazaras.
Now id the time for the government to climb over to their obligations to safeguard the doomed community of the sinless Hazaras. It should be widespread that these fragmented minorities make up wholesome Pakistan. Afterall, they are inhabitants of the country and pay their allocated taxes.
The rule of equity, “Live and Let Live” should undoubtedly and unquestionably be applied here.
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The writer is the student of International Relations & Political Science at Kinnaird College, Lahore
