Sadly, the New Year started with a suicide bombing near Quetta on a bus carrying Shia pilgrims returning home from Iran. At least one person died on the spot and another 34, including women and children, were injured. A little known sectarian outfit, Jaish-e-Islam, claimed credit for the attack saying it was revenge for Yom-e-Ashur strike on a Rawalpindi mosque and madrassah and also for an alleged act of desecration in Quetta. Notably, the bus was being escorted by Anti-Terrorist Force personnel, six of whom sustained injuries. Had they not been there, the sectarian terrorists, like several instances in the past, would have shot dead the survivors as well.
The so-called Jaish-e-Islam surfaced a year ago, ie, in December 2012, when it claimed responsibility for a bomb blast targeting Shia pilgrims in Balochistan's Mastung district. It had also warned video shop owners in the Balochistan capital to publicly set on fire what it called anti-Islam CDs, naming "The Message" as one such burnable film. In the recent days, the outfit had alleged desecration of the Holy Quran linking it to Iran. That country being an Islamic theocracy could never tolerate, let alone allow, desecration of the holy book. Hence, the allegation could mean that the group is being used by foreign elements to fuel the fire of sectarian terrorism in this country and foment anti-Iran sentiments. During the last couple of years, Quetta has seen some of the worst acts of sectarian terrorism involving the Hazara Shias since their sectarian affiliation is easily identifiable from their facial features. The problem is no less grave, though, in other parts of the country. As the Rawalpindi incident demonstrated, sectarian terrorists motivated by local or foreign agendas can easily inflame sectarian sentiments countrywide.
Unrestrained activities of violent extremists and a policy of appeasement adopted by successive governments towards them are causing a serious harm to this society from within. These people continue to preach hatred from the pulpit as well as through wall chalking, banner displays and propaganda handbills in violation of an existing law. The government so far has been trying to deal with the problem by maintaining high security alerts during Muharram observances, but doing little by way of rooting out the menace. Resultantly, sectarian violence remains a clear and present danger everywhere and at anytime. Just last month, the entire country came to a near standstill as the Shia community commemorated 'Chehlum' rites - which under normal circumstances would largely go unnoticed by the rest of the population - under police, and in some cities, Army and Rangers' protection. The situation being what it is the government must stop dithering and start treating the threat as a priority issue. It should adopt a well thoughtout policy to take out sectarian terrorism from its very roots.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Pakistan: Sectarian scourge
Sadly, the New Year started with a suicide bombing near Quetta on a bus carrying Shia pilgrims returning home from Iran. At least one person died on the spot and another 34, including women and children, were injured. A little known sectarian outfit, Jaish-e-Islam, claimed credit for the attack saying it was revenge for Yom-e-Ashur strike on a Rawalpindi mosque and madrassah and also for an alleged act of desecration in Quetta. Notably, the bus was being escorted by Anti-Terrorist Force personnel, six of whom sustained injuries. Had they not been there, the sectarian terrorists, like several instances in the past, would have shot dead the survivors as well.
The so-called Jaish-e-Islam surfaced a year ago, ie, in December 2012, when it claimed responsibility for a bomb blast targeting Shia pilgrims in Balochistan's Mastung district. It had also warned video shop owners in the Balochistan capital to publicly set on fire what it called anti-Islam CDs, naming "The Message" as one such burnable film. In the recent days, the outfit had alleged desecration of the Holy Quran linking it to Iran. That country being an Islamic theocracy could never tolerate, let alone allow, desecration of the holy book. Hence, the allegation could mean that the group is being used by foreign elements to fuel the fire of sectarian terrorism in this country and foment anti-Iran sentiments. During the last couple of years, Quetta has seen some of the worst acts of sectarian terrorism involving the Hazara Shias since their sectarian affiliation is easily identifiable from their facial features. The problem is no less grave, though, in other parts of the country. As the Rawalpindi incident demonstrated, sectarian terrorists motivated by local or foreign agendas can easily inflame sectarian sentiments countrywide.
Unrestrained activities of violent extremists and a policy of appeasement adopted by successive governments towards them are causing a serious harm to this society from within. These people continue to preach hatred from the pulpit as well as through wall chalking, banner displays and propaganda handbills in violation of an existing law. The government so far has been trying to deal with the problem by maintaining high security alerts during Muharram observances, but doing little by way of rooting out the menace. Resultantly, sectarian violence remains a clear and present danger everywhere and at anytime. Just last month, the entire country came to a near standstill as the Shia community commemorated 'Chehlum' rites - which under normal circumstances would largely go unnoticed by the rest of the population - under police, and in some cities, Army and Rangers' protection. The situation being what it is the government must stop dithering and start treating the threat as a priority issue. It should adopt a well thoughtout policy to take out sectarian terrorism from its very roots.
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