Khanpur massacre: 20 more Shia Muslims victim to Pakistan army’s policy of Strategic Depth

Shia Muslims continue to pay the price for Pakistan army’s policy of Strategic Depth


While Pakistan’s pro-military establishment media initially tried to misrepresent (by attributing it to an electric transformer blast) the latest terrorist attack on the Shia Muslims in Khanpur (Punjab) commemorating the Chehlum of Imam Hussain (the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) grandson), it has now emerged that the latest atrocity was yet another terrorist attack.

While Pakistan’s “liberal” media went into overdrive over a fraud, few of them are moved about the latest mass murder of Shia Muslims. Aside from an odd token comment, they will quickly move on to the next topic.

Processions of Shia Muslims, who make up about 20% of Pakistan’s population, have often been attacked by militant Deobandi / Wahhabi groups who consider Shias as apostates of Islam. The Jihadi (Deobandi/Wahhabi) militants have deep ties with al-Qaida and Pakistani Taliban insurgents, and are known to have tacit support of Pakistan army and judiciary.

There was no claim of responsibility for Sunday’s attack but early suspicions focused on Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (also known as Ahle Sunnat Wal Jmaat group led by Ahmed Ludhianvi), a militant group with deep roots in the area. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has claimed several of the worst attacks in Baluchistan, and last December took responsibility for an attack in the Afghan capital, Kabul, that killed at least 63 Shiite worshippers. The group’s main recruiting ground, however, has been in southern Punjab, and its leader, Malik Ishaq, is from Khanpur town. Mr. Ishaq was released from jail in July 2011 and spent several months under house arrest in the area, but is currently in a Lahore jail, Mr. Chatta, the police chief, said.