Pakistan sees another attack on minorities; terrorists abduct & kill 11 Shia Hazara miners

In latest targeted attack on mirity communities in Pakistan, terrorists on Sunday abducted and shot dead 11 coal miners from Shia Hazara community after separating m from ors in restive Balochistan province. local police said that miners were shot dead from a close range shortly after being abducted by armed terrorists in province's mountaius Machh area. officials furr informed that se 11 workers were going to work when y were kidnapped by terrorists. 

Outlining furr details of  latest attack on mirity community, official informed that 6 of 11 miners had died o spot while or 5 succumbed on ir way to nearby hospital. Murtaza Jatoi, an official of Balochistan Levies, said that terrorists first carried out an identity parade of miners before taking m away to execute m.

READ | Pakistan Police Arrest Man For Wearing Scary Mask On New Year's Eve, Netizens In Splits

Pakistan: Terrorists abduct & kill 11 coal miners

" primary reports suggest that y were targeted for ir faith. In past, members of Shia Hazara community were frequently targeted by militant sectarian groups in Quetta and or parts of Balochistan," an official added. Quetta Deputy Commissioner Murad Kaas said that group has claimed responsibility for killings but a heavy contingent of police, Frontier Corps (FC) and district administration officials have reached site after incident.

READ | Woman From Pakistan Found Heading UP Vill's Panchayat; FIR Lodged & Probe Underway

Reacting to killings by terrorists, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned act by calling it "yet ar cowardly inhumane act of terrorism". Taking to Twitter he said, "have asked FC to use all resources to apprehend se killers & bring m to justice. families of victims will t be left abandoned by government." Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan also condemned incident and sought an inquiry report from concerned authorities. 

According to local media reports, Shia Hazara is disproportionately targeted by sectarian violence as y are easily identifiable due to ir distinctive physical appearance. Balochistan has witnessed violence against Hazaras for more than a decade and a half by terrorists who consider m as heretics.

Shia Hazara community 

Hazaras are part of Shia community who live in Balochistan and Afghanistan. y have been often targeted by Sunni militants. This is t first time that Hazaras have been targeted by extremist outfits in Balochistan. In last few years, hundreds of Hazaras have been killed in eir suicide bomb attacks, planted bomb blasts or targeted killings.

READ | Pakistan's SC Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Over Razing Of Hindu Temple; 26 Persons Arrested

province has been troubled for some time w with terrorists and militants from sectarian and separatist groups operating in region and carrying out attacks on security forces, installations, Shia Hazara community members or even labourers/workers from or provinces. In October last year, 14 people including seven soldiers of FC and seven private security guards were killed when militants ambushed a convoy of state-run Oil and Gas Development Company Limited on Makran Coastal Highway in Ormara.

Last month, security forces killed 10 terrorists during an operation in Awaran district. Earlier in April 2019, re was a suicide bomb attack at a marketplace in a Hazara housing society in which at least 21 people including nine Hazaras and two security personnel were killed and scores injured. ISIS and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for attack.

READ | 'Pakistan Is Taliban's Birthplace'; Afghan Leaders Warn Imran To Stop Arming Terrorists

(With PTI inputs)