Murtaza Ali Shah

LONDON: British Pakistanis have begun a sit-in outside Pakistan High Commission against the killing of at least 89 Hazara Shias who have been martyred on Kirani Road at a vegetable market located in Hazara Town.
Organized by Imamians UK, Majlis-e-Ulema Shia Europe and Hazara organizations, participants of the sit-in include a large number of women and children who are protesting against the continued pogrom of Shias in various cities of Pakistan, particularly targeting of Hazaras in Quetta, and the inability of the security institutions to take steps to arrest the perpetrators of the attacks or provide security to vulnerable communities.
The protest began on Sunday afternoon when Hazara International Forum and Hazara United Movement arranged a protest to raise our voice against the decade-long persecution of the Pakistani Hazaras. More than 500 people attended the demonstration at the short notice which ended after four hours but the Imamians UK, which only a few days ago had organised three days long sit-in against Alamdaar Road killings, announced that it will remain on the road outside Pakistan’s High Commission for as long as Shia communities in Pakistan continue their protest.
They said the government of Pakistan is fully aware of the incessant targeted attacks, suicide bombings, planted and remote-controlled bombs, happening repeatedly against Hazaras in Quetta while the security personnel, the law enforcement and intelligence agencies have completely failed to foil them. They alleged that the government has failed to prosecute any of the perpetrators, their financiers, and supporters and in fact, they alleged, elements within the government and security forces were providing guidance and shelter to extremist sectarian elements.
Veteran Hazara community leader Haji Agha Marzooq Ali told The News that “apathetic attitude of the government of Pakistan has convinced people to take independent measures at times of crises which will only exacerbate the already volatile situation of the province”. He said Hazaras have sacrificed a lot for Pakistan and all they want from the government is security of their life and property, nothing illegal and unconstitutional.
He said the latest attack could have been thwarted should the intelligence agencies and law enforcement departments had utilized all available resources to do so. A petition presented to Pakistan HC officials demanded that the Quetta city be handed over to the army without any delay; that the government must ensure to initiate surgical operation against Sipah-e-Sahaba, Taliban, and Lashker-e-Jhangvi; arrested members of banned outfits must be brought before justice; and families of the martyrs must be compensated from 2006 onwards.
Separately, a group calling itself Dual National Pakistanis (UK) brought at least 200 supporters to the PHC and raised slogans in favor of the “equal treatment” of overseas Pakistanis. Men and women carrying banners and placards demanded rights for overseas Pakistanis and called on Pakistani institutions to show respect to dual nationals and make sure that they get the same level of respects and rights that ordinary Pakistanis living in Pakistan get. It is understood that the protestor belonged to Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Minhajul Quran Movement. There were more young women in protest than men who chanted slogans “we want, equal rights”, “we love Pakistan”. They said that overseas Pakistanis were loyal to their country of origin, even 2nd and 3rd generation, and their loyalties must not be suspected.
Also, Pakistani doctors in London held a peaceful protest outside Pakistan High Commission to call on the Punjab government to fulfill its promises made to Young Doctors Association in order to end their strike. They said that although the hunger strike has ended, they wanted the Punjab government to pay attention to the demands of doctors.
At least three members of the YDA were also present who now work in London. Organised by Dr Sabreena Razaq, Dr Mudassar and Dr Shahid Latif, the young doctors said Pakistan was facing “brain drain” because the services of young doctors were not being appreciated in Pakistan. They said young doctors want repair of machinery, reverting victimising tools and fast-track implementation of service structure.

(Source)

لندن ۔۔20فروری 2013ء 

The over 60 hours sit-in protest in front of Pakistan Embassy, London, supported the leaders of Quetta Yekjehti Council, the heirs and families of victims, concluded peacefully at 6:00 AM (GMT) on Monday after the demands of the QYC were met and implemented throughout Balochistan.

The followings videos exhibit the support of the London protesters.

Sit-in Protest (London)

Report By Adil Shahzeb

The deadly double bombing in Quetta last week left more than 86 Hazara Shia Muslims dead and hundreds injured. For over four days, the devastated men, women and children of the community sat in protest with the bodies of their loved ones in sub-zero temperatures, demanding an end to the genocide.

The protests soon spread out to Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and London, where a large number of Sunni and Shia Muslims sat in for 68 hours until the demands of the Quetta protesters were met.

“Our graveyards are full now,” said Liaquat Ali, from the London-based Hazara United Forum, while protesting at the Pakistan High Commission in London. “What is our crime? We are the most non-violent and peaceful citizens of our country, and love it as much as anyone else. How can killing us any geopolitical objectives for anyone?”

“Hazaras are under siege,” said Wajahat Ali. “Dear Pakistan, please save our men, women and children! Does anyone understand the suffering of the families of the 86 innocent people who have been killed?” he said before bursting into tears.

Alongside hundreds of Shia and Sunni Muslims, the London sit-in was attended by British politicians, a delegation of the MQM, and the Pakistan High Commissioner to UK, Wajid Shamsul Hassan, to express solidarity with the target killings of the Shia community in Pakistan.

According to Amnesty International, there were more than 40 attacks on the Shia Muslims in Pakistan during the year 2012 and between four to five hundred Shia Muslims were killed across Pakistan in these attacks.

“There are repeated attacks on Shia Muslims across Pakistan, certainly we believe that the government really needs to make concerted effort on an action plan on how it is going to protect the Shia Muslims,” said Polly Truscot, Director South Asian Pacific, Amnesty International.

The British government also condemned the attacks on the Shia population of Pakistan, in the strongest possible words. “The United Kingdom strongly condemns these senseless attacks and the persecution of the Shia population. It was a tragic day for Pakistan said British Foreign Secretary,” said William Hague.

Many at the London sit-in believed that the authorities had failed completely in tracking down the banned militant outfits who have often claimed responsibility for the attacks on Shias and Hazaras.

“Sectarian outfits that are banned in the rest of the country are still operative in Balochistan without being challenged by the security forces,” said Mustafa Zaidi who spent three nights protesting at the London sit-in along with his 10-day-old baby.

Many believe Pakistan’s policy of exploiting far right militant groups as a foreign policy tool was the reason behind the increasing violence in the country.

“The Shia do not fit in the state’s overall Deobandi-Salafi-Nationalist outlook,” according to famous columnist Dr Muhammad Taqi. “They are being sacrificed at the altar of the global jihad. You cannot tell militant groups to fight in Kashmir and Kabul and not kill the Shia at home.”

According to the Hazara United Forum, nearly 1,000 Hazaras have been killed and over 2,000 injured in 120 recorded terrorist attacks in the last two years.

Sunni militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has claimed responsibility for most of these attacks.

“In Muharram, our Sunni brothers used to set up Sabeels for us, now we mourn ourselves and lift our own dead and bury them ourselves,” said Shabna Khan, an activist. “We no longer prepare jahez or baree, because it is cloth for shrouds that comes by the yards.”

Adil Shahzeb is an international broadcaster and writer. He tweets at @adilshahzeb and can be reached at twoadilzeb@yahoo.com

(Source)

کوئٹہ کا انتظام فوج کے حوالے کیا جائے: مظاہرین

’جب تک کوئٹہ میں احتجاجی مظاہرین کے مطالبات نہیں مانے جاتے، تب تک لندن میں بھی احتجاجی دھرنا جاری رہے گا‘: منتظمین

London Protest

عادل شاہ زیب,  لندن

12.01.2013

کوئٹہ میں گذشتہ جمعرات کو ہونے والے بم دھماکوں میں شیعہ ہزارہ برادری سے تعلق رکھنے والے افراد کی بڑی تعداد میں ہلاکت کے خلاف برطانیہ میں پاکستانی شیعہ اور سنی کمیونٹی  کے سینکڑوں افراد نے ہفتے کے روز پاکستانی ہائی کمیشن لندن کےسامنے احتجاجی مظاہرہ کیا اور کوئٹہ کے ہلاک شدگان کی تدفین تک لندن میں احتجاجی دھرنا جاری رکھنے کا اعلان کیا۔

جمعے کی شب پاکستان کے مختلف شہروں کی طرح، برطانوی دارالحکومت لندن میں بھی ہزارہ شیعہ کمیونٹی کے ساتھ اظہارِ یکجہتی کے لیے پاکستان ہائی کمیشن لندن کے سامنےشدید سردی میں سینکڑوں مظاہرین نے احتجاجی دھرنا دیا۔

’ہزارہ یونائیٹڈ موومنٹ‘  کے چیرمین، لیاقت علی نے اِس موقع پر ’وائس آف امریکہ‘ سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے مطالبہ کیا کہ امن و امان کی خراب صورتِ حال کے باعث کوئٹہ شہر کا انتظام فوج کے حوالے کیا جائے۔

احتجاج میں تقریباً  500 افراد شریک ہوئے۔

احتجاج میں شریک ادریس احمد نے کہا کہ جب تک کوئٹہ میں احتجاجی مظاہرین کےمطالبات نہیں مانے جاتے تب تک لندن میں بھی اُن کا احتجاجی دھرنا جاری رہے گا۔

لندن میں جاری احتجاجی مظاہرے کے شرکا جِن میں شیعہ حضرات کے علاوہ سنی اور دیگر مسالک سےتعلق رکھنے والے پاکستانیوں کی ایک بڑی تعداد  شامل تھی،

حکومت سے شیعہ اور ہزارہ کمیونٹی کو تحفظ فراہم کرنے کا مطالبہ کیا۔

(مبنع)