Isn’t Pakistan becoming grave for Shias?

It is not just today Thursday 30^th August, 2012 that Shias are being targeted rather it is being reported alike for quite many months as quite a large number of Shias have been exclusively targeted & killed in different parts of the country in general but Quetta and Gilgit/Baltistan in particular.

Just now I have read both in Dawn and Tribune that Zulfiqar Naqvi, of course a Shia, has been gunned down along with his driver and body guard in broad day light. It is reported that Zulfiqar, Sessions Judge driven by his driver and escorted by a security guard was in his car heading towards his office as usual. However, today was the most unfortunate day for the judicial officer simply because the moment his driver slowed down the car due to railway crossing on Saryab Road, the killers already waiting for their prey sprayed the vehicle with as many bullets as they could whereby all the three occupants of the car were killed instantly. It is further reported that the killers riding on a motor car slipped away before police could reach the spot. No one till now have claimed for the responsibility so far as to who killed and why but nevertheless I am as sure as death itself that the killers were not Shias in any case otherwise not a Shia but a Sunni had been killed instead which is not the case at this point of time.

Regretfully, it is not the 1^st day that a Shia has been targeted, rather on the contra, many a times it has happened alike that exclusively Shias are singled out and killed. We should not forget how barbaric the killers had been who stopped buses going to Iran carrying Shias to perform their certain religious rites in holy cities of Qom. The killers asked for identification of the passengers and the name itself identifies if the person is Shia or not because most of them will have Ali, Hassan, Hussain, Syed, Shah, Naqvi, Rizvi, Zaidi (I am Sunni) in their name which as such proves that the person is none but Shia and thus all them were killed. Such like identification parade has been carried out in Pakhtun Khawa also and all those bus passengers who were found to be Shias were separated from the rest and each of Shia was killed while the others were spared. This has happened not once or twice but many times when only Shias were pin pointed and killed. All newspapers, and magazines are full of such news whereas our Tv channels also highlight the sectarian killings so from this point of view due credit must be given to our media for their efforts and contribution to high light such ugly situations otherwise how could I know of the problem and write on it.

Over the last many months one can read that many Shias living in different parts of the country, engaged in different professions have been killed which proves that Shias are no more safe in the country which in the past had not been discriminating in between Shias and Sunnis but gone are days when both lived together in peace and brotherhood. It is really very sad to pen that no one from Shia is safe now as their clergy men have been killed. Shias belonging to different political parties have been gunned down. Poor laborers who cannot dare to pick up contention against anyone too have not been spared whatsoever. Shias of all ages have been picked up and killed.  I migrated to Pakistan along with my parents and grandparents in September 1947 and since then I myself have lived in many cities like Lahore, Khanewal, Rohri, Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad till I left my beloved in 1976 and till then I did not notice that lives of Shias were at such high risk rather I found that the two sects were very intermingled in wedding and business etc. I can say with full confidence and authority that the notion of being a Shia or Sunni did not crop up at all in friendship and many of my good friends were Shias but we never thought of it that we are not one but two. In our constitution it has been very clearly said that none will be differentiated on account of religion or belief and instead each one who lives within the territorial limits of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan enjoys equal rights and liberties which of course includes the right of life.

Under the grimed situation when I am totally puzzled and blank and cannot think as to what could be the solution, I would like to pose few questions to you who I believe to be none but living Aristocrat and Plato with a request to please enlighten me accordingly. Remember each one of us whether a Shia or Sunni is born once and once alone and hence it very much demands of us that come what may, we must ensure that anyone who is born lives in complete peace and tranquility without fearing of his or her unnatural death. Which city they should live now where their lives can be safe and not likely to be killed? What profession they should choose which is not a matter of contention so that they can peacefully follow their profession? What logistics they should apply so that they are safe and not being singled out and killed?

Who differs with me on the caption reading Isn’t Pakistan becoming grave for Shias?