Two Hazara men gunned down in Quetta

–This is third attack on minority Shia community in a month 

Two men belonging to Shia Hazara community on Sunday were shot dead while the third was injured in a targetted attack at Western Bypass, Quetta.

According to police, Muhammad Ali and Muhammad Zaman were killed on the spot when unidentified assailants opened fire at them. One person was injured as result of firing, who was rushed to Bolan Medical Complex for treatment.

The victims were members of the Hazara community and that the incident appeared to be a targeted attack, said the police.

The assailants managed to escape unhurt from the spot after the attack. Police and other law enforcement personnel reached the spot as an investigation into the incident was initiated.

This is the third attack on the minority community this month. In two earlier attacks, two Hazara men were killed in separate attacks.

In 2013, at least 180 Hazaras were killed in bomb blasts-96 died in a bomb explosion at a snooker club frequently visited by Hazaras while 84 others were killed when a bomb went off in a vegetable market mostly used by Hazaras.

According to a recent report of the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), at least 509 Hazaras have been killed and 627 have been injured in terror-related incidents in Quetta over the last five years. The report titled ‘Understanding the Agonies of Ethnic Hazaraz’ is based on the data shared by the Balochistan home department and lists the incidents of attacks on the Hazara community from January 2012 to Dec 2017.

The report also criticises national media for being oblivious to the plight of Hazara community and stated that the international media is more supportive towards the issues of Hazaras as compared to national media.