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Sectarian Killing
The history of sectarian conflict in Pakistan is as old as the existence of this country. Yet,
the intensification of sectarian divide in Pakistan was observed during late 1970s and early
1980s because of domestic political changes and the implications of Islamic revolution in
Iran and the subsequent adverse reaction in some Arab countries to the assumption of
power by clergy operating from the holy city of Qum. The military regime of General
Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, which seized power on July 5, 1977 pursued a policy of
‘Islamization’ resulting into the deepening of sectarian divide between Sunnis and Shiates
on the one hand and among different Sunni groups on the other.
Sectarian issue in Pakistan is a major destabilizing factor in the country’s political, social,
religious and security order. While causing unrest, disorder and violence in society, the
sectarian conflict in Pakistan for the last 27 years has resulted in thousands of deaths from
suicide attacks, bomb blasts, assassinations and other terrorist acts. The state actors,
instead of seeking the management and resolution of a conflict, which has divided Muslims
on sectarian grounds, have tried to exploit the issue for political objectives.
In Baluchistan however, the situation is most intense. From military operations in the
Baloch Districts to target killings & attacking on national installations, the province at large
is tantamount to an Afghan city or region. There is much lawlessness across the province
generally and in Quetta city particularly, that not a single day passes without an incident of
target killings.
There are so many players involved now in Baluchistan. On the one hand the Baloch
separatists are waging rebellion under different organizations against the state army. On
the other hand some foreign hands want to ignite sectarian violence in Quetta city by killing
the people of Hazara community on a regular basis. The Baloch target killings do not confine
to security men, rather the settlers, mostly belong to Punjab are also becoming the victims
of the conflict, which is very sad. Today Quetta city is as vulnerable and insecure as no one
across the country, even the tribal belt is not such volatile. The people are weary of the
situation and some of them are planning to move from to Quetta forever.
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