
This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Protests boil across Pakistan after mass slaughter of Quetta Shias
- Investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators
- Terrorist car bombs target Shia areas of Baghdad, Iraq
- North Korea tells China that it’s preparing new nuclear tests
Protests boil across Pakistan after mass slaughter of Quetta Shias

Pakistani Shia women protest the murder of 81 people in Quetta (Reuters)
After a terrorist bombing on January 11 killed 100 people inQuetta, the victims’ families blocked the roads and refused to burytheir dead until the government in Islamabad committed to providingprotection against further terrorist attacks. After three days, theprotest ended with the promise that the government would provideprotection. Now, after a new horrendous bombing on Saturday thatkilled over 80 people and injured hundreds, many critically,it’s clear that Islamabad is doing nothing.
The terror group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) has claimed responsibilityfor both bombings, as well as bombings of Shia and Sufi shrines aroundPakistan. LeJ works hand in hand with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan(TTP), Pakistan’s Taliban, though LeJ has been even more brutal.Between the two of them, there are terrorist attacks across Pakistanon a continuing basis. Each time a new terrorist attack occurs,it confirms the opinion of many that the government is providingsupport to the terrorist groups for political purposes.
According to Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, governor of Baluchistanprovince in which Quetta is located:
“The terrorist attack on the Hazara Shiite communityin Quetta is a failure of the intelligence and security forces.
Our security institutions, police, FC (paramilitary FrontierCorps) and others are either scared or cannot take action againstthem.”
The Quetta attacks have particularly targeted the Hazaras, a ShiaMuslim ethnic group that migrated from Afghanistan over a century ago.According to Aziz Hazara, vice president of the Hazara DemocraticParty:
“The government is responsible for terrorist attacksand killings in the Hazara community because its security forceshave not conducted operations against extremist groups. We aregiving the government 48 hours to arrest the culprits involved inthe killing of our people and after that we will launch strongprotests.”
The 48-hour ultimatum is a bit puzzling, since the only thing beingthreatened is another protest.
The official is demanding that Islamabad send in the army to protectQuetta. Another demand is that the army track down the LeJ terroristsand bring them to justice.