Countrywide protests erupted after 24 people, mostly Hazara community pilgrims, returning from Iran were killed and 35 more wounded when a suicide bomber struck a passenger bus in Mastung on Tuesday, officials said.
The attack took place at Dringhar village on the Pakistan-Iran highway some 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of Quetta, Balochistan's capital.
Quetta city wore a gloomy look as the families of the victims and members of the Hazara community began a sit-in protest. They placed the dead bodies on Shuhda Chowk, blocked Alamdar Road and refused to bury there loved ones until the authorities took action against the extremists behind the attack.
"The human life is worth that much in a country where the writ-less rulers are forced to beg the terrorists for mercy", said a protestor pointing at the shrouded bodies of the victims.
A complete shutter-down strike was observed in the provincial capital to condemn the bombing on the call of nearly all the politico-nationalists parties.
All markets and business centres at Liaquat Bazaar, Prince Road, Jinnah Road, Shahra-e-Iqbal, Mission Road, Shawak Sha Road, Masjid Road, Hazara Town, Alamdar Road and Abdul Sattar Road remained closed throughout the day.
Traffic was thin on the city’s roads compared to the routine rush.
Heavy contingents of the police and law enforcement agencies have been deployed to maintain law and order in the city. However, no unpleasant incident was reported.
Hundreds of people also took to the streets in Karachi demanding action against the culprits. The city's roads remained blocked for hours causing miles long snarl-ups to the peril of citizens.
Sit-ins were also staged in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and other cities of the country to show solidarity with the families of the blast victims.
It is customary for Muslims to bury the dead swiftly, and a similar protest after a bombing had prompted Islamabad to sack the provincial government last year.
The banned militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack.
There is anger and frustration at the apparent inability or unwillingness of the authorities to tackle the LeJ. Analysts say the failure of the judiciary to prosecute sectarian killers allows them to operate with impunity.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Pakistan: Quetta sit-inners refuse to bury Mastung victims
Countrywide protests erupted after 24 people, mostly Hazara community pilgrims, returning from Iran were killed and 35 more wounded when a suicide bomber struck a passenger bus in Mastung on Tuesday, officials said.
The attack took place at Dringhar village on the Pakistan-Iran highway some 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of Quetta, Balochistan's capital.
Quetta city wore a gloomy look as the families of the victims and members of the Hazara community began a sit-in protest. They placed the dead bodies on Shuhda Chowk, blocked Alamdar Road and refused to bury there loved ones until the authorities took action against the extremists behind the attack.
"The human life is worth that much in a country where the writ-less rulers are forced to beg the terrorists for mercy", said a protestor pointing at the shrouded bodies of the victims.
A complete shutter-down strike was observed in the provincial capital to condemn the bombing on the call of nearly all the politico-nationalists parties.
All markets and business centres at Liaquat Bazaar, Prince Road, Jinnah Road, Shahra-e-Iqbal, Mission Road, Shawak Sha Road, Masjid Road, Hazara Town, Alamdar Road and Abdul Sattar Road remained closed throughout the day.
Traffic was thin on the city’s roads compared to the routine rush.
Heavy contingents of the police and law enforcement agencies have been deployed to maintain law and order in the city. However, no unpleasant incident was reported.
Hundreds of people also took to the streets in Karachi demanding action against the culprits. The city's roads remained blocked for hours causing miles long snarl-ups to the peril of citizens.
Sit-ins were also staged in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and other cities of the country to show solidarity with the families of the blast victims.
It is customary for Muslims to bury the dead swiftly, and a similar protest after a bombing had prompted Islamabad to sack the provincial government last year.
The banned militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack.
There is anger and frustration at the apparent inability or unwillingness of the authorities to tackle the LeJ. Analysts say the failure of the judiciary to prosecute sectarian killers allows them to operate with impunity.
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