Six people belonging to the Hazara Shia community were gunned down while one was seriously injured on Monday. The drive-by shooting took place on the busy Prince Road in Quetta. According to police officials, unidentified armed motorcyclists sprayed bullets on a shoe maker’s shop with sophisticated weapons, killing four men including the owner of the shop on the spot and injuring another three, and fled. Two of the injured succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Police rushed to the site soon after the incident and cordoned off the area. The injured and bodies were taken to a nearby hospital. The deceased were identified as Qurban Ali, Mohammad Hussain, Mohammad Kareem, Yawar, Shabir and Syed Ahmed while the injured was identified as Irshad.
Later, the police carried raids in various areas of the city to search for the assailants, but did not confirm any arrests. Meanwhile, around 100 Hazara Shias rushed to the hospital and threatened reporters there against taking live shots and photos. They protested by blocking the main road and pelting stones on vehicles. A heavy contingent of police and Frontier Corps were deployed on Jinnah Road. Meanwhile, Tahafuz Azadari Council and Hazara Democratic Party have strongly condemned the killings and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits. They also announced a three-day mourning.
