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PAKISTAN: Sectarian killings -- the nexus between Saudi Arabia and the army

Hazara Killers - Support from the Middle East to Punjab

DAWN

In the aftermath of the Quetta massacre, the arrests of a few Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militants have been looked upon warily as nothing more than a ploy to placate an angry nation.

If there was sincerity and strategic considerations behind this move, however, the headquarters of the Sunni extremist group in Punjab would have been dismantled much earlier.

But with elections approaching, a full-fledged and whole-hearted operation against such militant groups seems highly unlikely, especially in the Punjab, the breeding ground of sectarian militants. This has much to do with the fact that in Punjab, extremist and militant groups have a strong electoral presence.

“I doubt that there will be a real crackdown,” says author and journalist, Zahid Hussain, talking to Dawn.com: “The Punjab government has been looking the other way for too long and pursues the policy of appeasement.” He added that it had even made a covert deal for the release of LeJ leader Malik Ishaq.

Seconding Hussain, defence analyst Hasan Askari Rizvi added: “The Punjab Government is known for patronising the LeJ and (its predecessor) Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP).”

But it’s not only the Punjab government complicit in the inaction against extremist sectarian outfits. The centre hasn’t appeared earnest about the issue either.

Hussain has serious reservations about Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority, for example. The authority was created in 2009 under an executive order. “It remains dormant and a toothless body because the bill has yet to be passed in the National Assembly. There is also the unresolved matter of whether it should fall under the umbrella of the interior ministry when in the original charter, it was to be under the prime minister,” he explains.



And so the scourge of extremism will continue, as was seen last week when terror revisited the Shia Hazaras on Kirani Road in the south-western Pakistani city Quetta. The attack was also a grim reminder that without a national consensus in Pakistan on how to deal with domestic terrorism, the next attack is not far behind.

The bomb that killed over 90 people and injured more than 160, many of them critically, was the second major attack on Pakistan’s minority Shia Hazaras this year. A twin-suicide attack at a snooker club on January 10 had killed 92 and wounded 121. With the Hazara community living huddled together in certain localities, they have become an even easier prey and large numbers can be annihilated in minutes.

Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) Chairperson Abdul Khaliq Hazara told Dawn.com that the terror and fear had reached such a crescendo that the Hazaras had stopped venturing out of their locales. “There is no place left in Quetta that remains safe for Hazaras, be it an educational institution, school, bus stops, government offices or a marketplace. Public space is increasingly shrinking for us,” he said.

Where the LeJ derives power from

The LeJ, which claimed responsibility for these attacks, is born out of SSP. It also has ties with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In fact, some of the top TTP leaders, like the current spokesperson, Ehsanullah Ehsan, were all members of LeJ in Punjab, before they became part of the TTP.

“These groups morph and gel and even support each other,” says Rizvi, who fears that “unless the government adopts a tough position and keeps up the pressure over an extended period of time” these attacks will continue.

Equally, if the government decides to pull the rug from under them, and has some successes to show to the people, it will gain legitimacy. “Nothing succeeds like success, and we saw that in Swat once the government decided to go all out; their efforts were lauded not criticized,” he points out.

The HDP chairperson agreed that “The state is more powerful than the militants. We believe the state knows who the culprits are and if it wants it can round up the militants, cleanse the city off them, even kill them, in just three days.” But, he adds, “They don’t want to.”

According to Rizvi, “Organisations like the LeJ, the SSP and the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat (ASWJ) are politically convenient, especially for all the Punjab-based political parties and even the present Punjab PML-N government – and they will not go beyond a certain point to enrage them.”

“So while they will condemn acts of sectarian attacks and militancy, they will never muster the courage to condemn a particular group,” he explains.

In addition, says Rizvi, these groups have embedded themselves in society by setting up schools, hospitals, mosques and other welfare organisations and created a strong support base, including those in the lower ranks of the police and the intelligence agencies.”


“There is no place left in Quetta that remains safe for Hazaras, be it an educational institution, school, bus stops, government offices or a marketplace. Public space is increasingly shrinking for us.”

It is very easy for the LeJ, a predominantly Punjabi group to thrive in Balochistan, he further explains. “With a non-existent provincial government and the support of the Taliban, the place became a safe haven.”

The LeJ made inroads in Balochistan and had steadily spread its wings (since 2004-05), where the ethnic Hazara community has been their main target. Talking to Dawn.com, senior journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai said: “Call it infiltration, or what you will, but the LeJ has succeeded in recruiting many Baloch, once considered quite secular.”

According to Hussain, the Baloch have “been indoctrinated into hating the Hazara community.”

Khaliq points out that the whereabouts of the militant camps was common knowledge. According to reliable sources, the training camps are run in Mastung and Khuzdar, from where earlier attacks on Shia pilgrims going to Iran have taken place. Those who are apprehended, meanwhile, are released for want of enough evidence – and if the evidence is there, it’s not produced in the courts.

The desire to eliminate Shias altogether is also constantly fed from the outside. “A proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia is being waged in Balochistan.” says Khaliq. It is widely held that these anti-Shia militants receive funding from the Wahabi sheikhdoms in Saudi Arabia. The Shias, on the other hand are perceived to be supporting Iran.

Hussain, meanwhile, expresses surprise over the mushrooming of madressas in Balochistan, which lacks “even the most basic facilities for locals”. The senior journalist adds that it’s common knowledge such ‘nurseries’ of extremism were being financed by Wahabi leaning elements in Saudi Arabia.

So where do the agencies come in?

Some experts are also of the view that these assaults are carried out to deflect international attention from the ongoing separatist movement in Balochistan.

The HDP spokesperson insists that such acts of terrorism are carried out in collusion with the security and intelligence agencies.

Yusufzai, however, does not believe in this commonly held viewpoint. “These agencies would never allow their own country to get destabilised and they would never want to eliminate the Shia community. After all there are many Shias within these organisations too,” he points out.

According to Yusufzai, the intelligence agencies’ ‘incompetence’ can be attributed to “overwork”.

“Their hands are full with the ongoing separatist movement in one province, and the attacks by the TTP in others – and then these other militants fanning sectarianism. And if that were not all; these agencies are also being used for political purposes!” says Yusufzai.

Hussain plays down the involvement of the agencies, but adds, “They have the knowledge of who the culprits are but they are not focused on fighting these groups. So while they may not be in direct collusion; by their inaction they are helping these extremists gets stronger.”
 
Crunch points:

1. There are 19 intelligence agencies including seven agencies under the Armed Forces and they are not accountable to any state institution.

2. The military treat the terrorists as friends-in-arms, hoping for their assistance in the event of trouble after the withdrawal of the allied forces from Afghanistan. It is evident that retired army officers are providing training to the terrorists.

3. Shia pilgrims from Gilgit Baltistan were travelling in buses and were attacked and killed by men in military uniforms. All these incidents were reported and to-date the military has remained silent. Interestingly neither have they contradicted such reports.

4. Saudi Arabia is providing huge grants to the Pakistan army and many analysts report that the army and its units have a vested interest in turning a blind eye to the sectarian attacks against the Shiites.

5. Law minister of the Punjab government is notorious for providing protection to the militants of banned organisations and these groups support him in the elections.

Wow! :woot: Just wow! :fie:
 
Hazara killers — supported from Punjab to the Middle East
Zofeen Ebrahim


In the aftermath of the Quetta massacre, the arrests of a few Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) militants have been looked upon warily as nothing more than a ploy to placate an angry nation.

If there was sincerity and strategic considerations behind this move, however, the headquarters of the Sunni extremist group in Punjab would have been dismantled much earlier.

But with elections approaching, a full-fledged and whole-hearted operation against such militant groups seems highly unlikely, especially in the Punjab, the breeding ground of sectarian militants. This has much to do with the fact that in Punjab, extremist and militant groups have a strong electoral presence.


“I doubt that there will be a real crackdown,” says author and journalist, Zahid Hussain, talking to Dawn.com: “The Punjab government has been looking the other way for too long and pursues the policy of appeasement.” He added that it had even made a covert deal for the release of LeJ leader Malik Ishaq.

Seconding Hussain, defence analyst Hasan Askari Rizvi added: “The Punjab Government is known for patronising the LeJ and (its predecessor) Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP).”

But it’s not only the Punjab government complicit in the inaction against extremist sectarian outfits. The centre hasn’t appeared earnest about the issue either.

Hussain has serious reservations about Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority, for example. The authority was created in 2009 under an executive order. “It remains dormant and a toothless body because the bill has yet to be passed in the National Assembly. There is also the unresolved matter of whether it should fall under the umbrella of the interior ministry when in the original charter, it was to be under the prime minister,” he explains.

And so the scourge of extremism will continue, as was seen last week when terror revisited the Shia Hazaras on Kirani Road in the south-western Pakistani city Quetta. The attack was also a grim reminder that without a national consensus in Pakistan on how to deal with domestic terrorism, the next attack is not far behind.

The bomb that killed over 90 people and injured more than 160, many of them critically, was the second major attack on Pakistan’s minority Shia Hazaras this year. A twin-suicide attack at a snooker club on January 10 had killed 92 and wounded 121. With the Hazara community living huddled together in certain localities, they have become an even easier prey and large numbers can be annihilated in minutes.

Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) Chairperson Abdul Khaliq Hazara told Dawn.com that the terror and fear had reached such a crescendo that the Hazaras had stopped venturing out of their locales. “There is no place left in Quetta that remains safe for Hazaras, be it an educational institution, school, bus stops, government offices or a marketplace. Public space is increasingly shrinking for us,” he said.

Where the LeJ derives power from

The LeJ, which claimed responsibility for these attacks, is born out of SSP. It also has ties with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In fact, some of the top TTP leaders, like the current spokesperson, Ehsanullah Ehsan, were all members of LeJ in Punjab, before they became part of the TTP.

“These groups morph and gel and even support each other,” says Rizvi, who fears that “unless the government adopts a tough position and keeps up the pressure over an extended period of time” these attacks will continue.

Equally, if the government decides to pull the rug from under them, and has some successes to show to the people, it will gain legitimacy. “Nothing succeeds like success, and we saw that in Swat once the government decided to go all out; their efforts were lauded not criticized,” he points out.

The HDP chairperson agreed that “The state is more powerful than the militants. We believe the state knows who the culprits are and if it wants it can round up the militants, cleanse the city off them, even kill them, in just three days.” But, he adds, “They don’t want to.”

According to Rizvi, “Organisations like the LeJ, the SSP and the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat (ASWJ) are politically convenient, especially for all the Punjab-based political parties and even the present Punjab government – and they will not go beyond a certain point to enrage them.”

“So while they will condemn acts of sectarian attacks and militancy, they will never muster the courage to condemn a particular group,”
he explains.

In addition, says Rizvi, these groups have embedded themselves in society by setting up schools, hospitals, mosques and other welfare organisations and created a strong support base, including those in the lower ranks of the police and the intelligence agencies.”

It is very easy for the LeJ, a predominantly Punjabi group to thrive in Balochistan, he further explains. “With a non-existent provincial government and the support of the Taliban, the place became a safe haven.”

The LeJ made inroads in Balochistan and had steadily spread its wings (since 2004-05), where the ethnic Hazara community has been their main target. Talking to Dawn.com, senior journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai said: “Call it infiltration, or what you will, but the LeJ has succeeded in recruiting many Baloch, once considered quite secular.”

According to Hussain, the Baloch have “been indoctrinated into hating the Hazara community.”

Khaliq points out that the whereabouts of the militant camps was common knowledge. According to reliable sources, the training camps are run in Mastung and Khuzdar, from where earlier attacks on Shia pilgrims going to Iran have taken place. Those who are apprehended, meanwhile, are released for want of enough evidence – and if the evidence is there, it’s not produced in the courts.

The desire to eliminate Shias altogether is also constantly fed from the outside. “A proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia is being waged in Balochistan.” says Khaliq. It is widely held that these anti-Shia militants receive funding from the Sunni-Wahabi sheikhdoms of the Arab world. The Shias, on the other hand are perceived to be supporting Iran.

Hussain, meanwhile, expresses surprise over the mushrooming of madressas in Balochistan, which lacks “even the most basic facilities for locals”. The senior journalist adds that it’s common knowledge such ‘nurseries’ of extremism were being financed by Sunni-Wahabi leaning Middle Eastern countries.

So where do the agencies come in?

Some experts are also of the view that these assaults are carried out to deflect international attention from the ongoing separatist movement in Balochistan.

The HDP spokesperson insists that such acts of terrorism are carried out in collusion with the security and intelligence agencies.

Yusufzai, however, does not believe in this commonly held viewpoint. “These agencies would never allow their own country to get destabilised and they would never want to eliminate the Shia community. After all there are many Shias within these organisations too,” he points out.

According to Yusufzai, the intelligence agencies’ ‘incompetence’ can be attributed to “overwork”.

“Their hands are full with the ongoing separatist movement in one province, and the attacks by the TTP in others – and then these other militants fanning sectarianism. And if that were not all; these agencies are also being used for political purposes!” says Yusufzai.

Hussain plays down the involvement of the agencies, but adds, “They have the knowledge of who the culprits are but they are not focused on fighting these groups. So while they may not be in direct collusion; by their inaction they are helping these extremists gets stronger.”
 
After the thread on the Questta Blast was closed:

http://www.defence.pk/forums/pakistans-war/235424-blast-quetta-kills-84-shias-injures-200-a-37.html

This thread is probably going to be closed soon.

After all, "open discussion" is encouraged on this forum, right @muse?



Easy, there is an entirely legitimate administrative reason for closing that thread -- It became too much work keeping the threads focus - I think some of our Indian friends ought to be issued warnings for derailing a fine and important thread, these individuals should consider if doing such things is worth the effort, because their behavior robbed us of an important threat on an important issue.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Easy, there is an entirely legitimate administrative reason for closing that thread -- It became too much work keeping the threads focus - I think some of our Indian friends ought to be issued warnings for derailing a fine and important thread, these individuals should consider if doing such things is worth the effort, because their behavior robbed us of an important threat on an important issue.

That is exactly my point.

Why should those willing and able to discuss matters somewhat intelligently and sincerely be held ransom to the inevitable trolling?

Mods should penalize only the trolls rather than punishing us all by closing threads.

Back to the topic:

Can the Army, and indeed the whole State of Pakistan break away from the limits imposed from abroad, given the dire economic and geo-political situation? It may be that the calculation on their part is that is is easier to mange the unfolding sectarian disaster internally rather than give up the crutches of foreign support that keep them in power?
 
That is exactly my point.

Why should those willing and able to discuss matters somewhat intelligently and sincerely be held ransom to the inevitable trolling?

Mods should penalize only the trolls rather than punishing us all by closing threads.

Back to the topic:

Can the Army, and indeed the whole State of Pakistan break away from the limits imposed from abroad, given the dire economic and geo-political situation? It may be that the calculation on their part is that is is easier to mange the unfolding sectarian disaster internally rather than give up the crutches of foreign support that keep them in power?

As sad as it is to say this, it must be said, most people in Pakistan are not really looking at the politicians for resolution, they do however look at the armed forces and agencies to protect them - and they have been let down -- It's terribly worrisome that institutions seem not to understand that they will be accountable and even if they can get away with such things now, it will have long term consequences for them.
 
As sad as it is to say this, it must be said, most people in Pakistan are not really looking at the politicians for resolution, they do however look at the armed forces and agencies to protect them - and they have been let down -- It's terribly worrisome that institutions seem not to understand that they will be accountable and even if they can get away with such things now, it will have long term consequences for them.

How can they not understand that the day of reckoning comes up, always.

Call me cynical, but it is more likely that they will drag things on as much as they are able to, and then depart for other pastures with the majority of their loot and most of their families safe and sound. The people will pay a horrendous price, and what is happening now will seem like a small down payment in retrospect.

I have to go back I know. I just hope there is something to go back to in a few years' time.
 
How can they not understand that the day of reckoning comes up, always.

Call me cynical, but it is more likely that they will drag things on as much as they are able to, and then depart for other pastures with the majority of their loot and most of their families safe and sound. The people will pay a horrendous price, and what is happening now will seem like a small down payment in retrospect.

I have to go back I know. I just hope there is something to go back to in a few years' time.

I share your cynicism - that's why I have suggested that their corporate interests are not the same as those of Pakistan, the nation state - they seem not to be able to see and fathom that the public sees the ship as sinking
 
I share your cynicism - that's why I have suggested that their corporate interests are not the same as those of Pakistan, the nation state - they seem not to be able to see and fathom that the public sees the ship as sinking

Is this the historic "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!" mentality applied to Pakistan?
 
It appears to be - but I also think that these people simply tend to think very differently - they simply do not see Pakistan as a Nation State -- It's a bit crude, but some people say of sex workers, that they lose the ability to enjoy sex, that it become meaningless to them and they seek meaning in other things
 
To be honest, Pakistan does indeed have a patriotic Army, although I will concede that is neither obedient, nor answerable, to anyone but itself. Given the utterly rotten nature of Pakistani politicians, that may or may not be such a bad thing after all.

Irrespective of how faulty or dysfunctional the democratic set up of a nation - it can never be worse than a military dictatorship which is based on a false premise of popular support. The power of the people (citizens) should be paramount and above all others in a nation because after all the nation is made up of and for those very citizens. Where the primacy in governance and day to day running of a nation is taken over by an army - doom is but a sure thing. The present 'rotten' nature of politicians may/may not be directly attributal to the very convergence of need to uphold democracy (popularly supported both within and out of the country) and the need to grab power (for nefarious designs) which these politicians have. And the armed forces for their own reason may tend to manipulate the same with disastrous consequences for the nation.

Unbelievable how people can be obsessed with KSA.

But at the same time it is unbelievable a nation which is so consistent in promoting its own brand of religion with own interpretation while at the same time ensuring economic/religious might stifles any/all who are at odds with it
 
As sad as it is to say this, it must be said, most people in Pakistan are not really looking at the politicians for resolution, they do however look at the armed forces and agencies to protect them - and they have been let down -- It's terribly worrisome that institutions seem not to understand that they will be accountable and even if they can get away with such things now, it will have long term consequences for them.


I respectfully differ on this.

While the civilian Pakistanis are happy to carry out Saudi or Irani Mullah Ayatullah program, they expect that military will not be impacted and it will remain isolated from Saudi or Irani influence.


However sad this thing is from Quetta and the cold blooded murder of father and son in Lahore.

How many Pakistani Shias are ready to call Ayatullahs a fraud and anti-Pakistan? How many?

How many pakistani Sunnis are ready to call Imam Kaaba as a fraud and sectarian proponent? How many?


So all the civilians do is import the nasty Islamist-AIDS into Pakistan, and then say Army, please do not get infected.

How's that possible.

Our soldiers however patriotic they are, could not be immune to the Islamo-fascist propaganda in their homes and on the street.

All the soldiers and most of the officers are trained to follow things without questioning. Only a few officers are able and allowed to be intellectuals.

Thus it becomes impossible when majority of Pakistanis are saying lubbaik Ya Mullah lubbaik, lubbaik Ya Ayatullah lubbaik that an oridianry foot soldier will sit and ponder about repurcussions of Islamo-fascism. They can not.


Add that to the retired islamist officers and generals like Hameeda Bulbul, and things become pretty hairy.


In another thread, I gave the example of Sikh uprising in India.

Did that impact ALL Sikh soldiers and officers in the army? Heck no.

Did it impact significant number of retired and serving Sikh army-men? You bet your bottom dollar on this, because the answer is yes.


In fact the religious indoctrination in Sikh soldiers reached the highest level of trusted positions including the body guards of their PM.

Granted Indira was the biggest bee-aach there was, but she didn't deserve to die at the hands of her fing bodyguards.

Because the bodyguards are supposed to be more faithful than your own blood, your own closest relatives.

But the indoctrination moulded and mentally destroyed a lot of Sikh soldiers and officers.


It is kind of similar thing happening in Pakistan.

And unless we the civilians quit worshipping Mullahs and Ayatullahs, our army will remain relatively powerless.


It is time for Pakistani Shias to openly denounce Ayatullah freaks and their stone age mentality.
It is time for Pakistani Sunnis to openly f@rt on Saudi Mullahs and their stone age mentality.


And if we don't do this, and continue getting fooled by Mullahs, and continue destroying our beautiful country from within, then army cannot save us.

Armies are designed to face off regular and external armies.

Armies are not designed for long term internal conflicts.

please remember this.


Thank you
 
However sad this thing is from Quetta and the cold blooded murder of father and son in Lahore.

How many Pakistani Shias are ready to call Ayatullahs a fraud and anti-Pakistan? How many?

I read, I laughed, I cried and now, I don't know whether you are serious or not -- Is that the condition to seek an end to this sectarian warfare, to call Ayatullah a fraud? Ok, He's a fraud, they all are - Happy? WILL YOU NOW STOP JUSTIFYING THE KILLING OF INNOCENT PAKISTANIS? I know you realize the truth of this thread, and I would request a focus on that and not on blame shifting.

Like all other organs of the state you are only suggesting that as long as one institution or agency can point the finger at the other, their behinds will be safe - is that what you really started out to say ?

Armed Forces and it's agencies should have been the first to accept responsibility, instead we have a circus of one institution after another, saying "we did our job" -- and the end result??
 
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