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Anita Joshua, The Hindu / ISLAMABAD, July 30, 2011.
Angry Shiite Muslims burn tyres as a protest against the killing of their community members by unidentified gunmen in Quetta, Pakistan on Saturday - AP.
In a fresh spurt of sectarian violence targeting Shias, at least 11 people were killed in Balochistan on Saturday; taking the toll over the past 24 hours to 19. The banned outfit, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) — which has targeted Shias in the past as part of its agenda to turn Pakistan into a Sunni state — had claimed responsibility for Friday's attack on the office of a private transport company where pilgrims were awaiting for a coach to take them to Iran.
Though no one had claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack on a van carrying people to Quetta from Hazara Town area, police suspect this to be part of the sectarian violence as the victims were Shias again. According to Balochistan's Inspector General Police Amin Hashim, unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire at the van; resulting in the death of seven people on the spot and four others en route the hospital.
Following this spurt in violence, police raided various places in sensitive areas and rounded up over 200 persons for interrogation. The attacks led to protests across Quetta; resulting in arson. Pained by the continuing sectarian violence in different parts of the country, civil society drew a connection between this spurt and the recent release of LeJ chief Malik Ishaq.
An accused in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Ishaq's family was apparently being provided financial assistance by the Punjab Government.
PTI reports:
After the attack, hundreds of Shia Muslims gathered on Barori Road in protest, chanting slogans against the government and the police for their failure to check sectarian killings.
The angry protesters also blocked the main road.
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