Hazara Shias in Quetta being targeted due to perceived links with Iran: Senior fellow at IDSA

New Delhi, June 24 (ANI): While addressing some experts at a conference on ‘Human Rights abuses in Pakistan’ in the national capital on Friday, senior fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), Ashok Behuria, advocated for the rights of Shia Muslims who are residing in Quetta. During the conference, Behuria said that Hazara Shias are being attacked due to their “unmistakable” links with the Shias of Iran. “Particulary the doctors and lawyers from the community are being attacked,” Behuria asserted.The event, attended by several domain experts, was organised by the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in collaboration with Asian-Eurasian Human Rights Forum.

In a statement, Ashok Behuria later clarified that he was hinting at the accusations leveled by Pakistanis that Hazaras in Balochistan are assumed to be supported by Iran and therefore they are being targeted by outfits like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and other such radical groups who are radical Deobandi-Wahabi in their outlook. By “unmistakable links”, he meant the link between Hazaras as Shias and “Shias of Iran” not any links with the Iranian state.

It is true that Shias of Pakistan as a whole do have relationship with Iran, which is a Shia majority country, It is also true that many attacks on Shias are taking place during Shia pilgrims from Pakistan returning from their visits to shrines in Iran. This natural relationship (if not linkage) between the Shias of Pakistan and Iran is being misinterpreted by Shia-haters of Pakistan mainly from the radical Dobandi groups.

There is a mistaken perception in Pakistan that Shias of Pakistan are being enabled by Iran and therefore we have witnessed even attacks on Iranian diplomats in the past.

“I merely referred to the perception and held that Pakistani Deobandi Wahabi groups are increasingly targeting Shias in Pakistan and the state has not taken measures to stop these atrocities against the Shias”, Ashok Behuria said.

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