DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Members of the Shia community staged a sit-in for hours at the Indus Highway to protest recent incidents of targeted killing of Shias in Dera Ismail Khan. Two people from the community were murdered in the city in a week.
The second murder was of Aamir Abbas, who was gunned down in Naewala Basti, Tehsil Parwa. The protestors carried his body during the sit-in while demanding justice.
They primarily demand the immediate arrest of the target killers, who they say are from anti-Shia outfit Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), formerly known as the banned outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP). SSP has been said to be responsible for anti-Shia murders at large across Pakistan, and has been proscribed several times for exacerbating sectarian violence in the country.
Six hours have passed to the sit-in staged at Indus Highway by Shia Community against 2nd incident of targeted killing in DI Khan within a week.
Demand: Immediate arrest of SSP/ASWJ target killers spilling blood at large across the country. @dcdikhan @CSKPOfficial @KP_Police1 pic.twitter.com/yJLq2AYC6V
— Asad Gokal (@asadgokal) January 25, 2023
2nd case of #ShiaGenocide in DI Khan within a week. Aamir Abbas gunned down in Naewala Basti, Tehsil Parwa. Sit-in ongoing with deadbody @ Indus Highway.
NA passing bills agnst freedom of religion & terrorists killing members on streets, shaky start for Shia Community in 2023. pic.twitter.com/wm5AyvEW1a
— Asad Gokal (@asadgokal) January 25, 2023
Sipah-e-Sahaba brutally martyred another Shia youth in DI Khan, ,https://t.co/PokIBDGyVZ,
— Shiite News (@shianews313) January 19, 2023
According to activist Asad Gokal, the genocide of Shias has been on the rise again, with Saqlain Abbas killed before Aamir by unknown assailants in Babbar Pakka area of Paroa tehsil. His dead body was also a part of this protest. He notes, on Twitter, that the resurgence of the TTP has given SSP the liberty to resume sectarian killings with impunity.
#Shiagenocide on the rise again!
DI Khan: Saqlain Abbas murdered by unknown assailants in Babbar Pakka area of Paroa tehsil. Shia Community recorded protest with dead body on Indus highway
With TTP's resurgence, its splinter militant grp Sipah Sahaba resumes sectarian killings. pic.twitter.com/8YLN61MXb7
— Asad Gokal (@asadgokal) January 18, 2023
A Shia Muslim man has been assassinated by militants in DI Khan. The militants responsible are claimed to be from a faction of the Pakistani Taliban. #Pakistan https://t.co/LrjX8XZ8b4
— FJ (@Natsecjeff) January 17, 2023
Paharpur, DI Khan. #Sunni activists file #blasphemy case, under Sections including 295C that mandates death penalty, against a #Shia guy for allegedly insulting the Muhammed and Caliph Umar Ibn Khattab on Facebook. #Abolishblasphemylaws pic.twitter.com/1Fk5kdgvWr
— Faraz Pervaiz (@FarazPervaiz3) August 8, 2022
The largest number of Pakistan's Shias outside the major towns live in..Attock, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Mianwali, Sargodha, DI Khan, Bhakkar, Jhang, DG Khan, Multan & Muzaffargarh. A large percentage of these Shias..are of Baloch origin even if their mother tongue is nowadays Seraiki pic.twitter.com/jMIL5t9m4E
— Hammad H Rind حماد حسن رند (@HammadHRind) January 18, 2023
Just a few days ago, a private member bill was moved by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) parliamentarian Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali in the National Assembly, which increased criminal punishment for those defaming “Ummahatul Momineen, Ahle Bait, Khulfa-e-Rashideen and Sahaba-e-Karam” up to life imprisonment. It was unanimously passed by the lower house of the Parliament.
#Pakistan: That’s all that’s needed. Economy collapsing, flood affectees still homeless & the NA wants more punishment for #Blasphemy.
National Assembly passes bills to enhance punishment for disrespecting Ummahatul Momineen, Ahle-Bait, Sahaba https://t.co/rMjK3uKpwr— Farahnaz Ispahani فرحناز (@fispahani) January 18, 2023
