Pakistanis denounce sectarian violence

Activists from the Pakistan Youth Alliance took to the streets of Lahore on Sunday to protest against what they called the government’s deliberate disregard for the country’s Shia minority.

The protesters called for the state protection of the community as well as an immediate end to the killing and harassment of Shia Muslims across the country.

The rally came amid a surge in sectarian violence against Shias in Pakistan, with Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, witnessing targeted killings over the past three decades.

Over a dozen people, including a judge, were gunned down in the provincial capital Quetta in recent weeks.

The civil rights organization said the victims came under attack after their national identity cards were checked.

Also in the northwest, militants affiliated to Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorist groups have launched a deadly campaign against Shia Muslims, killing hundreds of people in the region.

At least 15 people were killed and dozens more severely injured on September 10 after a powerful car bomb exploded near a market in the Shia-majority town of Parachinar — a stronghold for Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.

The killing of Shias has caused international outrage, with rights groups and regional countries, including Iran, expressing concern over the ongoing deadly violence.

MRS/AS

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