Hazara areas will be declared red zone: Malik

Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday said that Hazara areas in Quetta city would be given a red-zone status to ensure security of the community.

Talking to reporters at Quetta Airport, he said, “The localities in Quetta having population of ethnic Hazara Shia community would have to be declared as red zone in order to maintain security of the community.”

He said that red zones of Islamabad and Lahore had been known for their containers and police pickets, but security of people necessitated these arrangements. Security measures for protection of the Hazaras of Quetta would be taken like that taken in Islamabad, he added.

The minister said that the terrorists had given up target killing and now had started killing people in bombings.
He said that three banned organisations had set up their syndicate and unleashed new wave of bomb blasts to hit their target.

“Four months back, I have said that banned organisations had adopted new strategy to continue their anti-peace activities,” Malik said, adding that he was not only providing information but also gave a strategy to curb terrorism.

He said further target killing had declined to 25 percent and kidnapping for ransom had also been eliminated in Quetta after imposition of the governor’s rule. However, some incidents of bombings had been reported, he said. He said security system of Quetta would have to be reviewed.

To a question, Malik said he would hold meetings with the Frontier Corps inspector general and other officials to review security situation and arrangements being made to maintain law and order.