Two disgustingly atrocious episodes of sectarian violence, reportedly orchestrated by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) jolted Balochistan this week. On Monday, September 20, a group of armed men attacked a passenger bus carrying Shia pilgrims from Quetta to Iran; killing at least 29 people near Ganjidori area of Mastung, about 30 kilometers southeast of Quetta. Three days later, LeJ militants again attacked a passenger van and killed three people from Hazara community on Sibi Road in Saryab, on the outskirts of Quetta. In total, 36 people were shot dead during this week in different acts of terrorism.

Moreover, Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani formulated a committee on Thursday, September 22 to probe the killing of 29 pilgrims in the Ganjidori area of Mastung in a sectarian attack. Afghan intelligence sources blamed the Taliban leadership in Pakistan for the assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani. Tajik and Russian diplomatic missions in Pakistan submitted before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights on September 22 that their citizens who were killed in Kharotabad in May had no criminal record.

Week in Review

a) Acts of Terrorism/Subversion and Abduction

• The Shia community in Balochistan suffered a huge loss of lives on Tuesday, September 20, when 29 people were killed in two separate incidents of ostensibly sectarian violence perpetrated by LeJ. Reports suggest that at least 26 people were killed and six others injured in Ganjidori area of Mastung, about 30 kilometers southeast of Quetta, when a group of armed men attacked a passenger bus carrying Shia pilgrims from Quetta to Iran. Hours later, three more people, hailing from the Hazara community, were gunned down near Akhtarabad area of Quetta as their rescue team made its way to the site of the bus attack. The assailants managed to escape.[1]
• Frontier Corps (FC) seized huge quantity of explosive materials and arrested an accused during a search operation near the Chagai district on Tuesday, September 20. According to the FC spokesperson, the security personnel intercepted a vehicle near the Afghan border and recovered 1702 kilograms of ammonium chloride from the pickup vehicle during the search. The driver of the vehicle, Ibrain Sherzai, was consequently arrested.[2]
• In a shooting incident, at least three people were killed, and four others injured, when unknown people opened fire in the Dasht area of Mastung district on Wednesday, September 21.[3]
• Unidentified militants shot dead a Balochistan Constabulary official in Chaman Pattak area of the provincial capital, Quetta on September 21, according to the Daily Times report. According to Police, Constable Muzafar Hussain Shah, while on routine duty outside the anti-corruption office in Jogezai Street near Chaman Pattak, was shot dead by unidentified militants.[4]
• On Friday, September 23, the Hazara community came under attack once again. Three people from the community were killed while three others, including a child, sustained injuries when gunmen attacked a van on Sibi Road in Saryab, on the outskirts of Quetta. The attack came just three days after 29 Shias were shot dead in Mastung.[5]
• Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF) personnel arrested a 12-year-old boy on September 25 when the latter was planting an explosive device at Nechari imambargah on Alamdar Road, situated in an area inhabited by the Hazara community in Quetta. According to official sources, ATF and police personnel carried out raids in various localities of Quetta in the early hours of Saturday, during which they arrested Abdul Khaliq near Nechari Imambargah and recovered explosives from him. The suspect was identified as an Afghan national and is a resident of Killi Raisani.[6]
• Afghanistan intelligence sources on September 23 accused the Taliban leadership in Pakistan of orchestrating the assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani. The Afghan intelligence agency said that its investigation indicates the attack was planned by Taliban officials at the highest levels. ‘The Quetta Shura is involved in this case,’ said Shafiqullah Tahiri, spokesperson for Afghanistan National Directorate of Security. The Quetta Shura is the Taliban highest leadership council, led by Mullah Mohammad Omar.[7]

b) Health Issues

A three-day anti-polio campaign began in 13 districts of Balochistan on Monday, September 19. Districts of Quetta, Pashin and Qillahabdulah were reportedly declared as high alert areas where a large number of polio cases are being registered. The health department confirmed 36 cases of polio this year. Meanwhile, senior officials of the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) expressed serious concerns over the detection of fresh cases of the virus in Balochistan and called for immediate steps to control it.[8]

A doctor from Quetta, Ayaz Mandokhail, succumbed to Congo virus in Karachi on Tuesday, September 20. Mandokhail had contracted the disease while operating on an Afghan citizen in Quetta, and was later shifted to a Karachi hospital in critical condition. A paramedical staff member working with the doctor is also undergoing treatment for Congo virus at the hospital. Also, four other people were admitted to an isolation ward at Quetta Fatimah Jinnah Hospital, on suspicions of contracting Congo virus.[9]

c) Political Front

The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) does not want to offend the army or the establishment by addressing the issues of Balochistan, president of the National Party (NP) Senator Dr Abdul Malik said on September 19. Addressing a press conference at the Quetta Press Club, Senator Malik accused the administration of carrying out a ¿kill-and-dump operation– targeting Baloch political activists.[10]

A candidate stands disqualified once he has been awarded punishment, said Justice Shakirullah Jan on Monday, September 19 during the hearing of Senator Muhammad Ali Rind appeal against the Balochistan High Court (BHC) decision to bar him from public office. Earlier, a divisional bench of the BHC had disqualified Senator Rind from holding public office in August, for concealing from the Election Commission that he was convicted for corruption.[11]

The government of Balochistan is believed to be reconsidering a request by the US embassy for setting up an American consulate in Quetta, an official in the Balochistan Home Department said on Wednesday, September 21. ‘The request has not been rejected,’ said an officer in the department, adding that ‘the matter is still under consideration.’ Earlier, the Balochistan government had flatly refused to allot land for the purpose due to security concerns. The ministry of foreign affairs was also opposed to the opening of the consulate due to negative reports by federal and provincial security agencies.[12]

Chief Minister of Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani formed a committee on Thursday, September 22 to probe the killing of 29 pilgrims in the Ganjidori area of Mastung in a sectarian attack on September 20. The committee has been asked to present its report in 15 days.[13] Meanwhile, Chief Justice Balochistan High Court has taken suo moto notice of the killing of Shia pilgrims in Ghanja Dori in Mastung District and issued notices to Federal and Provincial Governments on Thursday, September 22.[14]

Embassies of Tajikistan and Russia informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights on September 22 that their citizens who were killed in Kharotabad in May had no criminal record. On May 17, five foreigners, including three women, initially believed to be Chechens on a suicide bombing mission, were shot dead by police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) troops in Quetta. The five victims included four Russian nationals and one Tajik.[15]

d) Economic Front

The greater scale of devastation in Sindh has managed to eclipse the miseries of flood survivors in Balochistan. Ironically, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) mandated to provide relief to calamity-hit people sent relief items worth Rs. two million only for 80,000 flood-affected people in 17 districts of Balochistan, according to an official report on September 22. Only 50 bags of flour have been dispatched so far to people impacted by the floods, stated the report.[16]

[1] Sectarian atrocity: 29 killed in Mastung, Quetta ambushes–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/256419/gunmen-attack-bus-in-balochistan-20-killed/

[2] Search Operation: FC seize 1,702 kg of explosives–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/256766/search-operation-fc-seize-1702-kg-of-explosives/

[3] 3 killed, 4 injured in Mastung attack–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/257050/3-killed-4-injured-in-mastung-attack/
[6] Sectarian violence: 12-year-old arrested while planting explosives–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/259900/sectarian-violence-12-year-old-arrested-while-planting-explosives/

[4] Balochistan Constabulary official shot dead in Balochistan–, at http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2011%2F9%2F22&image2.x=9&image2.y=6#4

[5] Sectarian atrocity: Three Hazara men killed in Quetta van attack–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/258801/sectarian-attack-3-killed-2-injured-in-quetta/

[7] Rabbani murder: Afghan intelligence pins assassination on Quetta Shura–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/258574/rabbani-murder-afghan-intelligence-pins-assassination-on-quetta-shura/

[8]Fight against polio: 3-day campaign begins in 13 districts of Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/255563/fight-against-polio-3-day-campaign-begins-in-13-districts-of-balochistan/

[9] Congo virus claims life of doctor from Quetta–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/256412/congo-virus-claims-life-of-doctor-from-quetta/

[10] Balochistan issues: National Party criticises govt apathy–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/252662/balochistans-issues-national-party-criticises-govt-apathy/

[11] ¿Convicts stand automatically disqualified for public office––, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/256202/convicts-stand-automatically-disqualified-for-public-office/

[12] US consulate in Quetta still ¿under consideration––, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/256850/us-consulate-in-quetta-still-under-consideration/

[13] Mastung sectarian killings: Committee formed to probe massacre–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/257922/mastung-sectarian-killings-committee-formed-to-probe-massacre/

[14] BHC takes suo motu notice of Mastung killings–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/258111/bhc-takes-suo-motu-notice-of-mastung-killings/

[15] Kharotabad killings: Embassies declare victims innocent–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/257769/kharotabad-killings-embassies-declare-victims-innocent/

[16] Floods 2011: Balochistan ignored as Sindh disaster takes spotlight–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/257619/floods-2011-balochistan-ignored-as-sindh-disaster-takes-spotlight/