CJP takes suo motu notice of Hazara killings, seeks report

Soon after the Hazara community called off on Tuesday night their hunger strike over the killings of their fellow members in Quetta, the Supreme Court (SC) has taken a suo motu notice of their targeted killings.

Taking a suo motu notice on Wednesday, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar asked, "Are the Hazara members not Pakistani?" Justice Nisar has also sought a report from relevant authorities, local media reported.

The CJP also noted that the Hazara people do not even get admissions in schools and universities. The CJP further observed that the Hazara community were even scared of filing an application to the top court.

On April 28, two Hazara men were shot dead by unidentified terrorists in Quetta. The Hazara community held a hunger strike in order to get garner some attention towards the targeted killing of their members in Quetta and to seek justice. Activist Jalila Haider led the hunger strike camp, which was set up outside Quetta Press Club.

Two Hazara men gunned down in Quetta

However, they finally agreed to call of the hunger strike and the sit-ins in various areas of Quetta after a meeting with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday night.

The COAS heard the concerns of Hazara community's representatives regarding their members being targeted and offered prayers for the departed souls. Assuring the community, the army chief said, "We shall defeat hostile attempts through national cohesion. Anything and everything that is for the betterment of security of people of Pakistan shall be done."

According to a report by the National Commission of Human Rights, since the last five years, 509 Hazaras were killed in different incidents of terrorism in Quetta.