Protesters condemn targeted killings of Shias in Pakistan

On Friday, demonstrators carried pictures of their deceased loved ones and called on the Islamabad government to arrest and punish the killers and provide security to the Shia community in Pakistan.

The demonstrators also criticized the United Nations for not doing enough to stop violence against Pakistani Shias, and exercising double standards towards Malala Yousafzai and Mehzar Zehra.

On October 9, fifteen-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai was shot by a Taliban gunman in the Swat Valley. The assassination attempt received immediate worldwide media coverage and produced an outpouring of sympathy.

On November 30, 12-year-old Mehzar Zehra was shot by the Taliban on Karachi’s busy Shaheed-i-Millat road as she was on her way to school. The reprehensible and tragic incident went unnoticed.

Pakistani Shia leaders blamed what they call a flawed judicial system, deeply-rooted corruption in state institutions, politicization of the law enforcement agencies and a lack of will in politicians for the spiraling violence in Pakistan.

“Who is safe in this city? Shias, Sunnis, lawyers, traders - you name it, no one is safe here. The law enforcement agencies have turned deaf ears on these crimes, and even those who have been apprehended and convicted are not penalized, and they are resting in prisons,” Syed Nasir Abbas from Shia Ulema Council said.

“Government is not looking after people. They are not taking note of targeted killings, and now even ladies have been killed. We are here so they should know what is happening with us?” a female protester said.

    According to Human Rights Watch, the Pakistani government has failed to stop violence against Shias, who account for around 20 percent of the 167-million-strong population of the country.


The pro-Taliban militants have been involved in a violent campaign against Shia Muslims in Pakistan over the past years.