At least 16 people were killed and over 30 were injured in a blast in Quetta’s Hzaraganji market. Later the reports confirmed that the attack was aimed at the Quetta’s Shia Hazara community. Half of the people who lost their lives were Hazara people.
This fact can’t be ignored that this incident happened just three days after the release of Ramzan Mengal, the leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) Baluchistan. LeJ claimed responsibility for killing 26 Shia pilgrims on 20 September 2011. Furthermore, LeJ have also killed 13 people in a brutal attack on Shia pilgrims.
In the past, LeJ also admitted Quetta bombings in February 2013 which killed 81 and wounded 178 and mostly were Shia people. Another Shia from Hazara community, Syed Muhammad Waseem Naqvi was attacked four times by LeJ but he managed to save his life.
There is a pattern that shows that Shia Hazara community has been attacked by LeJ time and again and they have also claimed the responsibility of attacking them. The release of the leader and today’s attack shows a strong connection. No one has yet taken responsibility for this attack.
