BNP Leaders condemns Quetta killings

INDEPENDENT COMMISION SHOULD BE SET-UP TO REVEAL FACTS TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT QUETTA INCIDENT – SANA BALOCH

Quetta, March 28, 2004

Senator Sana Baloch of Balochistan National Party (BNP – Mengal) on Sunday said that, Ashora incident is intrigue against two brother tribes of the Hazara & Baloch. He was speaking here at Nichari Imam Bargah with Hazara Jirga and other tribal elders.

Earlier, he arrived here with Member of Provincial Assembly – MPA Akhtar Hussain Lango, MPA Khalid Mengal and other BNP members and offered Fateha for the persons martyred on March 2.

Mr. Sana Baloch said that on behalf of Sardar Attaullah Mengal (BNP Leader) and the entire Baloch tribes of Balochistan, we strongly condemn this coward and brutal act of terrorism against innocent Hazara Shia community. He added that such incidents are ruthless and severe crime against humanity. He denounced any involvement of Baloch Tribes in these incidents and said that, the Terrorists involved in these incidents have no caste or creed. Such incidents are planned by the Govt. agencies it self. Govt. agencies have lost their confidence and impartiality among common public. Findings of previous judicial inquiries have not been released yet. He urged that independent commission should be established for impartial enquiry of this tragic incident which must be comprised of Baloch, Hazara & Pashtoon tribal elders who would bring about facts and would make it public and to point out the officials responsible.

Earlier Mr. Talib Agha, Nazim, Union Council Momin Abad, Mr. Haji Qayum, President Hazara Jirga and Mr. Tahir Khan Hazara, member of political wing, in their speeches said that Ashora incident was the fourth episode of brutal act against Hazara community in diminutive period of seven months. During this period 150-Persons of our community between the age of 5 – 60 year, martyred and more than 200-Persons have been seriously injured and some of them have become disabled for the rest of their life. It is a matter of distraction that law-enforcement agencies and Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) in particular, was also involved in shooting of innocent mourners on the Ashora, March 2, incident in which so far, 45-Persons martyred and 150 injured.  Syed Talib Agha said that the Provincial Govt. has failed to provide security and the Balochistan Cabinet has imposed a three-month ban on all kinds of religious and political processions in the Province. He opposed the ban and said that Shia community would not accept ban on religious procession in Quetta.

At last, BNP leaders assured that the Baloch leadership and Baloch people are shoulder to shoulder with Hazara Shia community to cope such horrendous incidents in future and to eliminate such coward elements from the Balochistan.

HDP Press Release

A tragic incident occured in Quetta city on the 2nd of March, 2004, during the Ashura Muharram procession. At about 1:00 P.M. (Quetta time) when the Ashura procession was on its full swing, three trigger-happy terrorists opened indiscriminate firing on the first batch of processionists in  Liaqat Bazar. On the first floor of Banu Market, they have hired a residential room and that place was used for this heinous crime. The terrorists were believed to be religious extremists and according to the well placed information they belonged to Akora Khattak, Charsada (N.W.F.P) and Jhang (Punjab). According to the sources, the terrorists are the remnants of International Terrorist Groups and its allies that are now spread out in every cities of Pakistan. All of them are well-connected and well trained to carry out such attacks on innocent people. During this particular incident (March 2, 2004), terrorists used sophisticated automatic weapons and hand grenades. At least 42 unarmed and innocent people were murdered in cold blood, while more than one hundred were injured. The private security personnel who were given the task to protect the procession from any untoward incident portrayed their intrepidity and killed the three terrorists on the spot, while 13 of them were rounded up from Abdul Sattar Road and Liaquat Bazar, who were later on handed over to the Law Enforcement Agencies along with their weapons. Though the Government claimed that their preparation for the security of the procession is foolproof and they can meet any untoward incident smoothly but they failed to live up to their promises. The law enforcement agencies totally failed to protect the procession from terrorists. Even according to the eyewitnesses, the police were found to be firing at the crowd and the international media also reported the same incident. Later on the unruly crowed showed their bitter reaction and set ablaze a number of shops and a cinema house. During this whole process, the leaders as well as workers of Hazara Democratic Party did a tremendous job to control the mob from clashing with the law enforcement agencies. The H.D.P. members not only managed to donate blood for the injured persons and rescue operation but also channelized those desiring people who gathered at the Hospital for donating blood. Besides this, a Press Conference was also called by the H.D.P. in which the local and international media participated. During the press conference, H.D.P. leaders reiterated that the Govt.: failed to break the networks of these terrorists and Party stressed from the day one that the Government must take serious steps to break their networks and arrest the key suspects. But it is unfortunate that the (Pakistani) Government has not taken any tangible step in this regard.

Hazara Democoratic Party

Related Links

Terrorst Attacks in Recent Past

• Details of March 2, 2004 terrorist attack
• Details of June 8, 2003 terrorist attack
• Details of July 4, 2003 terrorist attack
• Shuhada-e Quetta Website
• More photos of Quetta killings

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