BRUTAL massacre of 11 coal miners in Mach, Balochistan, belonging to the Shia Hazara community has reminded me of similar incidents in the past. There have been multiple killings of Hazara people since 2011 in bomb blasts, firing on buses carrying pilgrims and target killings of high-profile people of this community.

The year 2013 saw several suicide bombings in areas dominated by the community. Another significant incident was the suicide bombing inside Hazar Ganji fruit and vegetable market that left 24 people dead.

The Shia community is not the only one facing the brutality of terrorist organisations. Security personnel are also being regularly targeted in isolated incidents of bomb explosions, improvised explosive device (IED) blasts and ambushes.

One such gruesome incident was the police training college attack in Quetta where 62 young police cadets lost their lives, while 100 were injured. On the other hand, the lawyer community was also not spared, and over 70 advocates were killed and over 130 were injured in a suicide bombing at Quetta’s Civil Hospital.

We again hear statements by government officials, condemning the killing of coal miners and blaming foreign elements for the attack with a resolve to confront them head-on. They also promise compensation for the bereaved families.

However, such statements have neither stopped the terrorists from committing barbaric acts, nor have they brought relief to the aggrieved families and the residents of Balochistan. These terrorists operate with impunity wherever and whenever they want.

To overcome this bloodshed, all entry points from where these terrorist elements can infiltrate from the neighbouring countries should be manned and closed. There should be better intelligence-gathering, and extremist elements within the country should be taken to task.

We should also realise that the problem and failures lie within our territory and that the solution to the problem is not only in the use of force, but in finding some political way out of the crisis.

Malik ul Quddoos
Karachi

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THIS refers to yet another barbaric attack in Balochistan in which 11 coal miners were brutally murdered by unidentified militants in the Mach area of Balochistan. All the victims belonged to the Shia Hazara community that has been facing such attacks for a long time in the province.

The poor miners, who were kidnapped by unknown gunmen before being executed, were there for earning a livelihood to feed their poverty-stricken families.

The Hazaras in Balochistan are peaceful people with high literacy rate, and live in harmony with other communities. It is indeed sad that people from such a peaceful community are being killed and targeted by unknown people.

Although the Hazara people have been demanding justice and security for their lives, those at the helm in the past did not pay heed, while the present ones too seem least bothered by their grief and sense of insecurity.

Civil society and champions of human rights should stand by the victims’ aggrieved families, while the people from all sects and religious beliefs should also raise their voice on this bloodshed.

The government must support the victims’ families and take measures to ensure that this barbarism is stopped, and the criminals involved in the incident are arrested and provided justice.

Aqeel Baluch
Panjgur

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2021