Thousands of Hazaras have been targeted and killed in various attacks and shootings in Balochistan. Dawn.com presents an exclusive timeline of the events.

2001

A vehicle was ambushed near Poodgali Chowk and eight Hazaras were killed.

June 2003

Eleven police officials were killed when two armed men opened fire at a van carrying police recruits to their training school in Quetta. Several officials were also injured and the incident was believed to be an act of sectarian violence as most of the officials in the van were Hazaras.

July 2003

Two people attacked a Hazara mosque on Mechangi Road in Quetta during Friday prayers, while a third person blew himself up, leaving 47 people dead. The police also defused two bombs.

March 2004

An Ashura procession was attacked in Quetta, which left 42 people dead, and many injured. The attackers first threw a hand grenade, followed by firing as the procession reached the main business district of the city. It was reported that most of the victims were Hazaras.

January 2009

Unknown assailants killed the chairman of the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), Hussain Ali Yousafi.

September 2009

Engineer Ahmed Ali Najaf was killed at his workplace by armed men. He was pulled out of his car and shot dead, according to eyewitness accounts.

October 2009

Walayat Hussain, a Hazara lawyer, was killed while on his way from work after unknown men opened fire on him.


Mohammad Ashraf, the chief inspector of mines in Balochistan, was gunned down while he was going to work in an official vehicle.

February 2010

Mehmud Ali, a young Hazara boy, was killed by armed men on the Quetta-Karachi highway while another boy Mohammad Yousuf was injured in the same incident.

March 2010

Ghulam Rasool and Muhammad Ali, who were day labourers, were killed near Akhtarabad.


Shabbir Hussain, a shopkeeper, was killed by armed men while he was working in his shop in the Hazar Ganji area.


Muhammad Ali, Ghulam Raza and Ramzan Ali who were vegetable vendors were killed in the Hazar Ganji area.

May 2010

A young Hazara boy, Ali Murtaza, was shot dead on Sirki road.

September 2010

A suicide bombing during a Shia rally in Quetta killed around 50 people and injured many others. Later, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.


Mohammad Ali Hazara, was kidnapped for ransom and later killed even though the amount had been paid.

October 2010

Four Hazaras were abducted and killed for ransom. Haji Ali Akbar, who was the owner of Al Abbas store was captured along with his son, bodyguard and an employee and later killed.

November 2010

Haji Idrees, the owner of Barkat medical store was kidnapped and his bodyguard Mohammad Ali was killed.

December 2010

Three people, including a four year old girl, were killed in a terrorist attack on Arbab Karam Khan Road in Quetta.

May 2011

Eight people, including children, were killed in a rocket and gun attack which targeted Hazaras in a park. After the rockets were fired, armed men on vehicles shot at people and fled. Banned outfit Lashkar-i-Jhangavi claimed responsibility for the attack.


Two Hazara policemen, Mohammad Musa and Ishaq Ali, were shot dead on Sipni Road while on their way home.

June 2011

Former Olympian and deputy director of the Pakistan Sports Board, Abrar Hussain, was shot by armed men on motorcycles as he was returning home.


Comments are closed.

Comments (40)

Aamir
January 12, 2013 7:36 pm
All this is painful but what about the non-hazara shias who have been killed in Quetta. I am a non-hazara shia from Quetta but now settled in Canada. I have lost many relatives too. The renowned cardiologist of Quetta Dr. Agha Abid Iqbal Zaidi was my first cousin and there is a list of others too but nobody mentions the non-hazaras. It's the Shias that are being killed and Hazaras are being targeted only because of their Shia belief.
Anish
January 12, 2013 6:45 pm
ideal???
Farhad shaikh
January 12, 2013 4:14 pm
it's too painful while seeing the circumstances of quetta and hazara community All are muslims and government and security agencies are totally failed to save the people
mazharuddin
January 12, 2013 1:00 pm
Responsiblity goes to socalled religious scholars, writers, thinkers and media that overlook addressing root causes and not denying access to suspicious and hateful material that too is against natural justice. Not discuss such religious activities that disturb peace. There seem lack of civic sense among responsible authorities. Spreading religious extremism, have been given free hand. Religion's basic concept is to believe in God, perform duty honestly for own survival by man. No religious activities should disturb public life.
Murtaza Baig
January 12, 2013 9:26 am
Thanks Dawn Team for the effort you made.
Tahir Alam
January 12, 2013 8:19 am
Yes, Baluchistan government, heads of police and FC must be changed immediately.
AA
January 12, 2013 8:12 am
Please shoe some peace
munir faswala
January 12, 2013 7:23 am
this needs t0 be brought to int war crimes tribunal
Manoj
January 12, 2013 7:23 am
Its due to these acts and government and army not protecting the Shia community members of the community demand separate state.
Ali
January 12, 2013 7:16 am
Their seems to be clear Double standards adopted in Pakistan,one for majority community and one for minority community in all fields ranging from security,jobs,justice etc.
Khan
January 12, 2013 4:48 am
Pakistan government need to start some field work for all those who have no work except killing. Open house to house low scale farming of goats, honey, cows, animals of all variety, Milk dairies and cookeries. List out all persons who are ideal and put them to work
APC
January 12, 2013 4:18 am
Man, 120 dead bodies.
Mustafa
January 12, 2013 3:55 am
Pakistani state has failed to protect this minority despite massive deployment of security forces and intellegence agencies. The last option is perhaps a UN contigent comprising of non-Muslim soldiers!?
Salman US
January 12, 2013 3:44 am
Hazara people need to protect themselves, Pakistan Government,Army and Police wont protect them
Singh
January 12, 2013 1:42 am
So sad to see death of so many lives. Really heart breaking thinking so many orphan kids. Hazara community need to standup for their own security if state is failing miserably.
Insaan
January 11, 2013 9:59 pm
With so much hatred towards each other, no wonder Pakistan has deteriorated so much during the past 2-3 decades. No tolerance (all kinds; religious, political, social, cultural, ethical ....), no progress. Be ready for worse if intolerance isn't eliminated!! Peace and Love.
Qaiser Hussain Khan Bakhtiari
January 11, 2013 9:16 pm
Sects and religion are not the problem Mangesh. It is the intolerance which is the problem. If these people were not killing in the name of God they will be killing based on race, skin color etc etc. Such is the cure of intolerance.
waqas shaikj
January 11, 2013 8:58 pm
Government of Balochistan and Pakistan must resign. Chief of Army staff, ISI Chief and FC chief of Balochistan must be replaced immediately. A judicial inquiry should be ordered immediately and criminals must be given exempalary punishment after being prosecuted and found guilty. No Mercy for any one. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Sceptic
January 11, 2013 8:21 pm
Examples?? Like ???.
Yasmin
January 11, 2013 7:20 pm
Just feel for mothers, wives, children who lost their young loved ones in this tragedy. Just feel it and stop killing innocents. 82 plus dead bodies, we don't have space even for the graves. How can you even justify the innocent killings...
Nina
January 11, 2013 5:49 pm
No, let's say a thousand flower bloom, and each of them mature, live their live and in the end fade away.... saying there would have been no sects, religion sounds you are becoming an ostrich...
Mubarak
January 11, 2013 5:47 pm
The Pakistan army may be silently laughing or giving approval for the killings of Shias in Pakistan.
Sohail
January 11, 2013 5:43 pm
I was in Quetta few weeks ago and two Hazaras killed in a broad daylight 100 meters from me and the culprits walked away on foot. I dont believe in conspiracy theory but I see Saudi-Iran tension written all over it. With these local terrorist organisation running on Saudi blood money and ofcourse some sort of backing from the local agencies, I feel sorry for the innocents who got caught in this mayhem.
skm
January 11, 2013 5:32 pm
Is it the nation that Mr Jinnah fought for.A nation whose creation itself was based on communal hatred , killings and religious intolerance is bound to go this way. No surprises at all. TC and get well soon brothers.
Tehmina
January 11, 2013 5:09 pm
Allah helps those who help themselves. Hazaras and Shias should stop expecting the government to do anything for them.
Junaid
January 11, 2013 4:33 pm
I ask Hazara community not to depend upon the impotent Police,Rangers,Army of Pakistan but take up arms and protect themselves or leave Pakistan.Pakistan is the country of terrorists.
AC1960
January 11, 2013 3:08 pm
What a non-sense is this. With this type of thinking country is going downward. Those who kill others are dreaming to go to Paradise.
AHA
January 11, 2013 2:43 pm
The hate culture that we have adopted as our central ideology could have had no other outcome. It is only going to get worse from here.
stranger
January 11, 2013 2:29 pm
Please dont split the country any further. all sects must be given due representation in the parliament.That could solve the problem a bit.
Tahir Alam
January 11, 2013 2:25 pm
This compilation of events shows how bad is the law and order situation in Baluchistan. Every Pakistani must condemn these events strongly on every platform. Unfortunately, I do not see many people raising their voice against these killings. Our media is also not putting proper focus on this issue. Most importantly the religious scholars need to come forward as it is being done on the basis of religious sectarianism.
Ajaya K Dutt
January 11, 2013 1:47 pm
Hindus tried that and those who tried were first to be killed.
mazharuddin
January 11, 2013 12:40 pm
There is also the need to manifest the list of the Ahle Sunnat Waljamaat people lost their lives, they are being killed mercilessly - four blood brothers and their several scholars have been killed, a huge number of Sunni people, no one mention their killing and mourn them? such attitude is hateful and condemnable, all people have preciously lives, we should care for all.
mazharuddin
January 11, 2013 12:34 pm
There should have international conference to discuss the spreading of hatred against this community enable to solve the problem once for all. Overlooking the root causes and mourning is not the solution. Unfortunately no one is addressing the root causes. All communities should respect each others rights as well as minority groups too should respect the rights of majority and avoid such attitude that irks the majority and the vice versa.
Aditya
January 11, 2013 11:56 am
I am not conversant with the social conditions of Pakistan. What is the purpose of killing random Hazaras ?? I mean what kind of satisfaction does it lead to- is it for money, pleasure or no apparent reason
Saleem
January 11, 2013 11:45 am
Meat eating leads to these acts.. go vegeterian and all these would stop. Saleem
YOUSF
January 11, 2013 11:15 am
ISLAM means PEACE.may ALLAH guide us all.Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammed(peace be upon him)says if one wants to be in paradise with me should have his character good.My dear brothers and sisters ISLAM is but TO CARE FOR OTHER HUMANS.may Allah show all(muslims and non-muslims) the straight path,Ameen.
Raana Zafar
January 11, 2013 9:44 am
The Hazara tribe should wake up and arrange their own security because provincial and central governments are not capable of providing the same or are in league with the terrorist.
Sceptic
January 11, 2013 9:22 am
'Hazarastan' is the answer. Hazaras need a Jinnah.
Mangesh
January 11, 2013 9:21 am
Sad very sad.. I really wish if there would have been no sects, no religion...nothing just humans... Life could have been beautiful...then
Notebook
January 11, 2013 9:12 am
ISLAM IS PEACE LOVING RELIGION. SEE THE EXAMPLES.