By Syed Zaid Zaman Hamid
This is what happened in Quetta and Ziarat yesterday. A detailed fact sheet and analysis. This analysis is written by a senior retired army officer and NOT by BrassTacks.
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The destruction of Quaid’s Residency at Ziarat was still being told by TV anchors, on 15 June 2013, when at about 1 p.m. a bomb was exploded in a bus full of girls about to disembark in the Women’s University. The bus used to pickup mostly Shia Hazara girls from Alamdar Road, which is a Shia Hazara locality. Even before Lashar-a-Jhangvi claimed responsibilty, people in Quetta had no doubt who was behind the explosion.
The wounded were rushed to the adjacent Bolan Medical College. As the wounded and helpers were being crowded in Emergency Room, a man walked in and blew himself up killing some more. Possibly 3-4 criminals walked in and took 34 men and women as hostages, some criminals were already on the roof top and started shooting at the crowd. Police, FC and Civil Administration rushed to control the situation. After nearly 6 hours, three more criminals were killed, one suspect arrested and with blood splattered everywhere, BMC was declared clear of criminals. Sun was about to set.
The death toll; 29. 14 young girls died, 19 are badly burnt and in hospitals. Many deceased girls were indeed, non-Shias, one was a Christian. Four soldiers of FC, including a Captain died trying to save lives and rescue hostages. Quetta’s Deputy Commisioner, Assistant Deputy Commision, one Lady Doctor, four nurses, two policemen and 6 pedestrians were killed. Several more, including another Assistant Commisioner were injured. The Civil Administration, FC and Police bravely fought and stood against the criminals who had taken advantageous positions and had the benefit of blending into the peaceful crowed.
Innocent, very young and dutiful people died futilely because of sectarion-fanatics.The deaths were mourned by all Quetta, and surely by all Pakistanis and even foreigners abroad. The people of Quetta forgot about the National Heritages’ loss at Ziarat and Women University/BMC carnage became the talk of the town.
Oh yes, the people of Ziarat are still mourning the destruction of Quaid’s Residency. Ziarat remains shut for the second day. The few thousand people are still sitting on road, not knowing to whom to turn to. Some were seen openly crying when they saw the Residency. The grief is akin to a dear ones death.
However, people of Quetta were blaming many more than the sectarian fanatics who had actually carried out the killings. These fanatics had even disregarded ethics of war by ancient pagans who would not kill children and women. But everyone thought, these were merely the pawns, the responsibility lay at many more persons.
Who is responsible for this carnage ??
Domestic Players
1. Zardari, Yousaf Gilani and Aslam Raisani. The 5 years’ ignominious tenure of PPP government is responsible for totally loosing the writ of government, especially in Balochistan. Target killers, kidnappers, dacoits, vehicle hijackers and land grabbers were regularly let off on calls from the then CM Aslam Raisani and his brother Siraj and 55 some ministers. When the then PM Yousaf Gilani was asked while visiting Quetta for the poor state of law and order, he had replied that it was a provincial subject and concerned the CM. Zardari allowed Gilani and Aslam to sit like Neros while Rome, or in this case, Baluchistan was aflame. Punjabi doctors, teachers, advocates, businessmen, tailors, barbers, workers were systematically murdered in ethnic cleansing. Dutiful police officers were killed. Criminals were hired as policemen and officers. What is happening in Baluchistan today, is the crop sowed by these three criminals, Zardari, Gilani and Aslam. Then there were many accomplishes, like the hibernating Governor Magsi, the JUI which looked the other way, saw no evil and never objected to the rape of the province as long as Fazalul Rehman got his millions through his ministers..
2. CJ Iftikhar and his Coterie of Judges. Balochistan CJ Faiz Essa ordered the Police and courts to register FIR against the ‘murder’ of Akbar Bugti, who actually had committed suicide. Thus started a witch hunt against law-enforcers. Given the attitude of the judges, which law enforcer is safe from prosecution? All terrorists were let off for ‘want of evidence’. The modern insurgency/extremists’ crimes, sponsored by Pakistan’s foreign enemies were being tried by 1865′s Anglo-Sexon law. CJ ran a masquerade of visiting Quetta, asking no one else but IGFC to provide him security. In court he raved and ranted against the same FC and tried to humiliate the General. His contempt for Armed Forces was so very evident and his treatment of criminals so benevolent. A look at the under 16% conviction rate in Pakistan, and much lower in Baluchistan clearly shows who is abetting the extremists and criminals.
3. And last, the Army. The patience of Army may be lauded for letting the Democracy progress while exacting ‘Revenge’ from this country, but Army’s inaction cannot. It has been detrimental to the national security in its broadest sense. Army has sat motionless listening to insults, false accusations, seeing the ethnic cleansing in Baluchistan go on unchecked, looting of the country’s wealth, systematic destruction of Railways, PIA, corporations and looking the other way when presence of ‘ferrari camps’, i.e training camps of militants, sectarian criminals and insurgents were reported over and over again, even in media. It allowed the anti-Pakistan journalists and anchormen and women to systematically demoralize the nation by ridiculing and humiliating Army, encouraging and promoting insurgents by inviting them to demand breakup of Pakistan on TV channels. Mir Jaffars and Mir Sadiqs of our times are given prime time coverage on TV channels with the likes of Hamid Mir and Nusrat trying to be more of Pakistan’s enemies than India and US.
4. And finally NS. People question, why are there no sectarian killings in Punjab? Why is insurgency, militancy and sectarian killings rampant only in KPK, Sindh and Baluchistan? Does NS want to further weaken these three provinces? Punjab is breeding sectarian militants and has allowed them safe havens. This perception is growing. It may be ignored only to the detriment of National cohesion and security.
There is a crying need to address these perceptions of the people in Quetta. The CJ and his judges who are busy trying to exact ‘revenge’ from retired Generals must become at least cognizant of history’s judgement if they find the Day of Judgement very distant.
Zardari, Gilani, Aslam, and many more have already become history. They regularly receive all types of curses, abuses and condemnations. Their accountability in this very world has already started.
Those who can still make a difference, must do before they too are dumped into the dustbin of history.
