August 2012 Mansehra Shia massacre explained

August 2012 Mansehra Shia massacre refers to the massacre of 25 Shia Muslim residents of Gilgit-Baltistan travelling from Rawalpindi, Punjab to Gilgit, Gilgit Baltistan in Pakistan. The bus was stopped in Mansehra District and the people were killed after checking their identification cards which showed they were from the Shia community by individuals dressed in Military uniforms.[1] [2] [3] Darra Adam Khel faction of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed the responsibility for the attack.[4]

Background

See main article: Sectarian violence in Pakistan. Religious extremism is prevalent in Pakistan. Members of the Shia community are targeted in a number of attacks against them in the country. There have been several Incidents of killing of Shia Muslims and bomb blasts in the Shia mosque in Pakistan.[5] [6]

The sectarian violence incidents happened after the radical Islamisation policies of former military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq.[7] A systematic ethnic cleansing of Shia community is being carried out in Pakistan administered Kashmir.[8]

Incident

Three buses were travelling from Rawalpindi, Punjab to Gilgit, Gilgit Baltistan. On a section of the Karakoram Highway (KKH), in Mansehra District (an area dominated by Sunni tribes), 10 to 12 gunmen in military uniform flagged the buses for stopping. After the bus halted, the gunmen climbed on board and asked passengers for identification. They checked the identity cards of all the passengers. After which the gunmen dragged a group of Shia men. They were then sprayed with bullets from AK-47 Assault rifle.[9] [4] [10]

Response

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon termed the massacre as "appalling".[11]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: 25 Shias pulled off buses shot dead . 17 August 2012 . Daily Times Pakistan . 17 August 2012 .
  2. News: Pakistan Shias shot dead in sectarian massacre. 17 August 2012. The Daily Telegraph. 16 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120816222019/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/9479996/Pakistan-Shias-shot-dead-in-sectarian-massacre.html. 16 August 2012. live.
  3. News: Shia Massacre in Gilgit: Fear anger grips city. 17 August 2012. India Today. 17 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120817043059/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/massacre-in-gilgit-shia/1/213478.html. 17 August 2012. live.
  4. News: Gunmen execute 22 in Pakistan bus attack. 16 August 2012. Reuters. 16 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120817073333/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/16/us-pakistan-shiites-attack-idUSBRE87F10C20120816. 17 August 2012. live.
  5. News: Pakistan is in denial over spreading sectarian violence. 4 June 2012. The Guardian. 19 April 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403051831/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/apr/19/pakistan-sectarian-violence. 3 April 2015. live.
  6. Web site: Pakistan sectarian bus attack in Kohistan kills 18 . BBC . 28 February 2012 . 2012-03-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171122155652/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17188118 . 22 November 2017 . live .
  7. News: 11 April 2012. Sectarian killings in Gilgit Baltistan. Dawn. live. 4 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120606235354/http://dawn.com/2012/04/11/sectarian-killings-in-gilgit-baltistan/. 6 June 2012.
  8. News: Ethnic cleansing of Shia Muslims in PoK. 4 June 2012. 11 April 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120628113928/http://zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/ethnic-cleansing-of-shia-muslims-in-pok_769477.html. 28 June 2012. live.
  9. News: Pakistan Shias killed in Gilgit sectarian attack. 17 August 2012. BBC News. 17 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120816185935/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19280339. 16 August 2012. live.
  10. News: At least 20 Shias pulled off bus, shot dead in northern Pakistan. 16 August 2012. Dawn. Pakistan. 16 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120816203412/http://dawn.com/2012/08/16/several-forced-off-buses-killed-in-northern-pakistan/. live. 16 August 2012.
  11. News: UN secretary general 'appalled' by Pak Shia massacre. 17 August 2012. First Post. 17 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20170620021951/http://www.firstpost.com/world/un-secretary-general-appalled-by-pak-shia-massacre-421085.html. 20 June 2017. live.

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