Pakistan’s minor community members protest killing of 11 coal miners

Pakistan’s Hazara community members held protests in the country on Monday after eleven coal miners were abducted and shot dead by the Islamic State militants (ISIS) in Balochistan’s capital city Quetta.

The Hazara community members were joined by some political parties as they blocked several roads in the provincial capital, demanding the Balochistan government either arrest the terrorists responsible for the killing or resign, the Geo News reported.

A traffic jam was reported at the thoroughfare from the Baleli checkpost to the intersection at Quetta’s Airport Road due to the protest, with dozens of vehicles stranded and passengers and transporters facing difficulties in travelling.

The miners were shot dead from a close range shortly after being abducted by the armed terrorists in the province’s mountainous Machh area. The Islamic State has taken responsibility for the attack.

Prime Minister Khan condemned the miners’ killing, terming it “yet another cowardly inhumane act of terrorism”.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has sought an inquiry report from the authorities concerned.

According to police, the terrorists entered the two of the rooms the colliers resided in, kidnapped them and tied their hands and feet, and shot them dead near a mountainside.

Hazaras are disproportionately targeted by sectarian violence as they are easily identifiable due to their distinctive physical appearance, according to local media reports.

The Hazaras are part of the Shia community who live in Balochistan and Afghanistan. They have been often targeted by the Sunni militants.

This is not the first time that the Hazaras have been targeted by extremist outfits in Balochistan. In the last few years, hundreds of Hazaras have been killed in either suicide bomb attacks, planted bomb blasts or target killings.

The province has been troubled for some time now with terrorists and militants from sectarian and separatist groups operating in the province and carrying out attacks on security forces, installations, the Shia Hazara community members or even labourers/workers from other provinces.