11 Miners Killed in the South Western Balochistan Province

 

11 Miners belonging to a group of minority Hazara Shia Muslim lose their life after gunmen have opened fire in the southwestern Balochistan province.

The attack took place early on Sunday near the Mach coalfield, about 48km (30 miles) east of the provincial capital, Quetta said Moazzam Ali Jatoi, an official with the Levies Force which serves as police and paramilitary in the area.

Six miners died on the spot and five others were critically wounded and died on the way to hospital after armed men took the coal miners to nearby mountains where they opened fire on them said Jatoi.

As per the initial investigation, after identifying the miners as members of Hazara Shia community, the attackers took them away for execution, leaving others unharmed.

Security troops surrounded desolate mountainous areas in order to divert traffic and guiding ambulances to pick up the bodies. Forces were also deployed in the mountains to search for the attackers.

The ISIL (ISIS) group later claimed the responsibility for the brutal attack via its Amaq news agency via its Telegram communications channel.

In the past, the minority Hazara community in Balochistan province was targeted by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a banned Sunni hardline group.

“The condemnable killing of 11 innocent coal miners in Mach Baluchistan is yet another cowardly inhuman act of terrorism,” Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet.

“Have asked Frontier Constabulary to use all resources to apprehend these killers and bring them to justice,” he said.

Miscellaneous Threats

Largely confined to two fortified enclaves on either side of the city, Quetta is home to roughly 600,000 Hazara Shia Muslims. The enclaves are fortified topped with barbed wire, and many checkpoints in-charged by paramilitary personnel.

Fortifications have discontinued contacts with from the rest of the city, not allowing them to effectively manage businesses or send their children to school. 

Nationalist groups seeking independence for the province and Shia Muslims being targeted by the Taliban, Balochistan has faced and still faces multifaceted threats from several armed groups.

Attacks by assailants from other provisions, especially on workers working on projects initiated by China under a $62bn investment plan, are common. On December 26, seven soldiers were killed by a gunmen after attacking the security post.

The Protest

The killing of miners in March in Balochistan province mounted pressure on the government through mega sit-in protest in Karachi, demanding action.

Disrupting rail, road traffic and even forcing some airlines to reschedule their flights, the protests spilled out into the neighborhoods of the port city, including Shahrah-e-Faisal, Malir 15 and Teen Talwar.

"The protests have been joined by people from all walks of life and beyond their sectarian or political association. They all are united in these testing times for the Hazara community. We demand the government and Prime Minister Imran Khan play their due role before it`s too late," a spokesperson for the Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM).

The protestors including women and children were there only to express solidarity with the families of the victims, "They are peaceful and only seeking their constitutional right," the spokesperson said.

"Until then, law and order cannot be established. This is not the first attack on the Hazara tribe. Leaders of the banned parties openly issue fatwas for killings. Why action is not taken against them according to the Constitution and law of the country?," said Allama Sadiq Jafari, the MWM`s Secretary-General in Karachi.

Protestors demanded for the formation of an independent judicial commission to investigate the continuing attacks against Hazaras.

The Aftermath Post Protest

Authorities on Friday assured the arrest of the attackers, payment of compensation to the bereaved families and better security for the Hazara.

11 Miners were then laid to rest six days after their deaths with more than 4000 people attending the last rites amid tight security.

“The provincial government will form a joint investigation team to recommend action against those found guilty of negligence leading to the incident,” said an agreement, a copy of which was obtained by AFP news agency.

So as to investigate attacks against the Hazara community in the past 22 years, a deal was called by Balochistan’s home minister for setting up a high-level commission.

Vowing he would come back, Khan, on Friday, appealed to the protesters not to link the burial of the coal miners to his visit to Quetta.

“No premier of any country should be blackmailed like this,” Khan said in televised remarks.

Dozens of Shia, in the capital of Islamabad, rallied on 8^th Jan, denouncing Khan for calling the mourners blackmailers.

The prime minister's office stated on 9^th Jan that Khan had flown to Quetta and was expected to arrive shortly. However Khan's group of ministers and top officials were already sent to negotiate with the Hazara community, leading the mourners to agree to a funeral.

Written by - Peter Fernandes

Edited by - Adrija Saha