In short, India has provided its Shia Muslims with political space, opportunities for academic excellence, and freedom of expression. In contrast, Pakistan has offered its Shia population graves, bullets, and bombs
In 1947, the partition of Bharat led to the creation of two new nations—India and Pakistan. While a significant number of Muslims chose to remain in India, making it a secular nation with a diverse religious population, many others moved to Pakistan, which was established as a Muslim-majority country. Ironically, at the time, Pakistan's leaders attempted to convince Muslims who stayed in India that they would face discrimination and increased communal violence. However, the reality today tells a different story. Pakistan, despite its Muslim-majority status, has witnessed ongoing sectarian violence, particularly targeting Shia Muslims.
The Shia genocide, which has unfolded over decades, is an open secret, and the brutal repression of other minorities, including the people of Balochistan, continues unabated. Meanwhile, in India, Shia Muslims enjoy the full spectrum of democratic rights and religious freedoms. I aim to shed light on the atrocities faced by Shia Muslims in Pakistan, contrasting their plight with the more inclusive experience of Shia Muslims in India, who have successfully exercised their democratic rights.
The Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB) is the only Shia-majority region in Pakistan, and its people have long been subjected to systematic atrocities by the state. The Shia population in this area has endured widespread discrimination, marginalization, and violence. Numerous reports document enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights violations. Recently, protests against unfair taxation and resource exploitation in the region were met with brutal crackdowns and harsh, inhumane treatment by Pakistani forces.
Similarly, the population of Parachinar, predominantly composed of the Turi and Bangash Shia Pashtun tribes, has faced relentless sectarian violence for the last three decades. Extremist organizations in Pakistan, fueled by radical ideologies like Deobandism and Salafism, regard Shias as heretics and have perpetuated violence against them.
The unabated killing spray of Shia people shows huge number of killing and atrocities for years now, a fierce sectarian war erupted in Parachinar between Sunni Pashtun militants and the Turi and Bangash Shia tribes, resulting in significant casualties. The violence continued with one of the deadliest terrorist attacks against Shias in modern Pakistan occurring in 2017 when a bomb blast in the Parachinar market claimed the lives of 67 Pashtun Shia civilians. The situation for Shia Muslims in Pakistan has been dire for years, exemplified by the Quetta bombings in 2013. On January 10, 2013, a twin bomb attack killed over 100 people, predominantly Shia Hazaras, and injured more than 180. The extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), notorious for its anti-Shia stance, claimed responsibility for this attack. Just a month later, on February 16, 2013, another bombing in a bustling market targeted Shia Hazaras, killing at least 84 people. This series of attacks marked one of the deadliest periods for the Shia minority in Pakistan.
Earlier, on March 2, 2004, the Karbala Gamay Shah Incident occurred during a religious procession commemorating Ashura, a significant observance for Shia Muslims. A suicide bombing killed 42 people and injured more than 100 in Lahore, highlighting the vulnerability of Shia religious gatherings to extremist violence. On December 28, 2009, another suicide bomber struck a large Shia procession during Ashura in Karachi, resulting in the deaths of at least 43 people and injuring around 60. This attack led to widespread protests and riots across the city, underscoring the persistent threat to Shia Muslims during their most important religious commemorations.
Numerous other incidents have resulted in the brutal killings of Shia Muslims in Pakistan, including the Shikarpur mosque bombing, the Parachinar bombing, the Imambargah suicide bomb attack in Peshawar, the attack in Mastung, and the Khairpur Imambargah attack. While there is no consolidated figure on the total number of Shia fatalities due to underreporting and inconsistencies in data collection, estimates from the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) indicate that around 4,000 Shia Muslims were killed in Pakistan between 2001 and 2018 due to sectarian violence. This figure includes attacks by extremist groups such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba, and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Notably, in 2013 alone, more than 400 Shia Muslims lost their lives in targeted attacks, particularly in regions like Quetta, where the Hazara community has faced relentless violence.
A Comparison
The continuous tyranny and threat faced by the Shia population in Pakistan, will help us to draw a comparison between Shia Muslims in Pakistan and their counterparts in India, particularly in Kashmir. The Kashmir Valley is home to approximately 15-20% Shia Muslims, primarily concentrated in Central Kashmir. It is noteworthy that no Kashmiri Shia Muslim has ever taken up arms, regardless of the circumstances. This peaceful stance has made Kashmiri Shia Muslims a source of concern for Pakistan and its agencies. While Pakistan brutally suppresses its Shia population, often resorting to violence and killings, the political landscape in Kashmir presents a different picture. Among the three Members of Parliament representing Kashmir, one is a Shia Muslim, who is well-respected and admired by the Sunni community. In stark contrast, Pakistani forces continue to kill young Shia boys and girls, with little regard for their lives.
On the day of Ashura this year, the Lieutenant Governor's administration in Kashmir organized various events to celebrate the occasion, ensuring a safe and respectful environment for the community. In Pakistan, however, Shia Muslims face constant danger even within their Imambargahs, never knowing when they might be attacked. While it may seem like there are points of comparison, the realities of Indian Shia and Pakistani Shia Muslims are as different as apples and oranges. In short, India has provided its Shia Muslims with political space, opportunities for academic excellence, and freedom of expression. In contrast, Pakistan has offered its Shia population graves, bullets, and bombs.
Email:------------------ Soulofkashmir1@gmail.com
In short, India has provided its Shia Muslims with political space, opportunities for academic excellence, and freedom of expression. In contrast, Pakistan has offered its Shia population graves, bullets, and bombs
In 1947, the partition of Bharat led to the creation of two new nations—India and Pakistan. While a significant number of Muslims chose to remain in India, making it a secular nation with a diverse religious population, many others moved to Pakistan, which was established as a Muslim-majority country. Ironically, at the time, Pakistan's leaders attempted to convince Muslims who stayed in India that they would face discrimination and increased communal violence. However, the reality today tells a different story. Pakistan, despite its Muslim-majority status, has witnessed ongoing sectarian violence, particularly targeting Shia Muslims.
The Shia genocide, which has unfolded over decades, is an open secret, and the brutal repression of other minorities, including the people of Balochistan, continues unabated. Meanwhile, in India, Shia Muslims enjoy the full spectrum of democratic rights and religious freedoms. I aim to shed light on the atrocities faced by Shia Muslims in Pakistan, contrasting their plight with the more inclusive experience of Shia Muslims in India, who have successfully exercised their democratic rights.
The Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB) is the only Shia-majority region in Pakistan, and its people have long been subjected to systematic atrocities by the state. The Shia population in this area has endured widespread discrimination, marginalization, and violence. Numerous reports document enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights violations. Recently, protests against unfair taxation and resource exploitation in the region were met with brutal crackdowns and harsh, inhumane treatment by Pakistani forces.
Similarly, the population of Parachinar, predominantly composed of the Turi and Bangash Shia Pashtun tribes, has faced relentless sectarian violence for the last three decades. Extremist organizations in Pakistan, fueled by radical ideologies like Deobandism and Salafism, regard Shias as heretics and have perpetuated violence against them.
The unabated killing spray of Shia people shows huge number of killing and atrocities for years now, a fierce sectarian war erupted in Parachinar between Sunni Pashtun militants and the Turi and Bangash Shia tribes, resulting in significant casualties. The violence continued with one of the deadliest terrorist attacks against Shias in modern Pakistan occurring in 2017 when a bomb blast in the Parachinar market claimed the lives of 67 Pashtun Shia civilians. The situation for Shia Muslims in Pakistan has been dire for years, exemplified by the Quetta bombings in 2013. On January 10, 2013, a twin bomb attack killed over 100 people, predominantly Shia Hazaras, and injured more than 180. The extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), notorious for its anti-Shia stance, claimed responsibility for this attack. Just a month later, on February 16, 2013, another bombing in a bustling market targeted Shia Hazaras, killing at least 84 people. This series of attacks marked one of the deadliest periods for the Shia minority in Pakistan.
Earlier, on March 2, 2004, the Karbala Gamay Shah Incident occurred during a religious procession commemorating Ashura, a significant observance for Shia Muslims. A suicide bombing killed 42 people and injured more than 100 in Lahore, highlighting the vulnerability of Shia religious gatherings to extremist violence. On December 28, 2009, another suicide bomber struck a large Shia procession during Ashura in Karachi, resulting in the deaths of at least 43 people and injuring around 60. This attack led to widespread protests and riots across the city, underscoring the persistent threat to Shia Muslims during their most important religious commemorations.
Numerous other incidents have resulted in the brutal killings of Shia Muslims in Pakistan, including the Shikarpur mosque bombing, the Parachinar bombing, the Imambargah suicide bomb attack in Peshawar, the attack in Mastung, and the Khairpur Imambargah attack. While there is no consolidated figure on the total number of Shia fatalities due to underreporting and inconsistencies in data collection, estimates from the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) indicate that around 4,000 Shia Muslims were killed in Pakistan between 2001 and 2018 due to sectarian violence. This figure includes attacks by extremist groups such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba, and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Notably, in 2013 alone, more than 400 Shia Muslims lost their lives in targeted attacks, particularly in regions like Quetta, where the Hazara community has faced relentless violence.
A Comparison
The continuous tyranny and threat faced by the Shia population in Pakistan, will help us to draw a comparison between Shia Muslims in Pakistan and their counterparts in India, particularly in Kashmir. The Kashmir Valley is home to approximately 15-20% Shia Muslims, primarily concentrated in Central Kashmir. It is noteworthy that no Kashmiri Shia Muslim has ever taken up arms, regardless of the circumstances. This peaceful stance has made Kashmiri Shia Muslims a source of concern for Pakistan and its agencies. While Pakistan brutally suppresses its Shia population, often resorting to violence and killings, the political landscape in Kashmir presents a different picture. Among the three Members of Parliament representing Kashmir, one is a Shia Muslim, who is well-respected and admired by the Sunni community. In stark contrast, Pakistani forces continue to kill young Shia boys and girls, with little regard for their lives.
On the day of Ashura this year, the Lieutenant Governor's administration in Kashmir organized various events to celebrate the occasion, ensuring a safe and respectful environment for the community. In Pakistan, however, Shia Muslims face constant danger even within their Imambargahs, never knowing when they might be attacked. While it may seem like there are points of comparison, the realities of Indian Shia and Pakistani Shia Muslims are as different as apples and oranges. In short, India has provided its Shia Muslims with political space, opportunities for academic excellence, and freedom of expression. In contrast, Pakistan has offered its Shia population graves, bullets, and bombs.
Email:------------------ Soulofkashmir1@gmail.com
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