World in View

by Gerry Emmett

Over 100 people were killed and 150 injured in Quetta, Pakistan, in bombings on Jan. 12. The targets were Shi’a Muslims, mainly from the Hazara minority. The terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed credit. This group, allied with the Afghan Taliban, has a long history of attacks on Shi’a.

The latest bombing sparked protests by the Shi’a community. Hundreds occupied the streets of Quetta, refusing to bury the victims’ bodies for days, demanding more protection from the police and military—although those agencies often have ties to such terror groups.

Quetta is in Balochistan province, which has been the scene of a dirty war in which independence activists have been targeted for assassination, with bodies being found dumped in rural areas on a regular basis.