Sit-in and rally in Quetta against genocide of Shia Muslims

A sit-in and a rally were staged in Quetta on Monday to register protest against the genocide of Shia Muslims in Balochistan province.

Quetta Yakjehti Council and Shia Hazara Muslims jointly organized sit-in and rally that was staged near Nichari Imam Bargah on Alamdar Road.

The protest was called after Shia delegations talks with Prime Minister failed. Sa’adat Ali Hazara, central leader of QYC and chief of Hazara Jirga had met Prime Minister and informed him that Shia Muslims were killed on his arrival in Quetta hence he should attend the funeral procession to mark solidarity with the martyrs families.

Shia leaders who led the rally and sit-in said that Balochistan’s home secretary Naseebullah Bazai was the cause of failure of talks because he opposed Mr. Sa’adat’s proposal.

Speaking to the protestors, they said that more than 750 Shia Muslims were killed since 1998 targeted attacks on their lives. They said thousands of others were injured due to terrorist attacks of banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and banned Sipah-e-Sahaba.

They said that government has failed to arrest any of the killers so far. They said that the Shia notables were not safe even in the constituency of Balochistan’s chief minister Aslam Raeesani. They said that terrorists have made safe heavens in the constituency of Balochistan’s CM and they had informed Prime Minister of these facts.

They demanded that terrorists of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba involved in the killings of Sunni and Shia Muslims should be arrested and should be punished forthwith. They further demanded crackdown on the terrorists and their safe heavens in the province.

The participants were raising slogans and carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans to protest against the government demanding due action against the terrorists.