Daily Times

FATA’s Shia dominated area of Parachinar came under attack once again. The terror attack that killed over 100 people, prompted the locals to come out on streets against the consistent terror attacks and the government’s failure to secure the region. Four protesters lost their lives after FC opened fire on the protest. It was then that the protest gain momentum and the protesters demanded action against the colonel who ordered the shooting. The sit-in continued for eight day and ended after the COAS visited Parachinar to meet the protesters and assured them their demands would be met.

There have been attacks in Parachinar in the past, but rarely did a state official visit the area. This time, however, social media became the voice of the protesters which led the mainstream media to give some coverage to the protest. The dust seems to have settled for now, but occurrence of similar attacks in the future cannot be ruled out because of the apparent inaction on the part of the government.

What happened in Parachinar is a part of organised targeted attacks on the Shia community that have been taking place across the country. There have been attacks in Quetta, targeting the Shia-Hazara community in the past few months. Members of Shia community in Karachi and even the Sunnis having Shia-sounding names are on the receiving end of terror attacks since long. But most in Pakistan suggest that mentioning the Shia identity of the victim harms national unity – this despite the fact that anti-Shia militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) that claimed responsibility for the Parachinar attack, vows to “rid Pakistan of Shias”. The killers proudly tell the reason why they carried out the attack, but Pakistan’s hyper patriots try their best to hide the identity of the victim. Unsurprisingly, the government’s response to what happened in Parachinar furthered the same mantra.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar ordered Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to take action against social media users who tried to “fan sectarianism” in the wake of the attack. Nisar’s role when it comes to attacks on minority communities has always been controversial. As odd as it sounds, the interior minister has met the members of banned sectarian outfits multiple times and assured them of the government’s support. He also justified his action on the floor of the assembly when opposition members questioned his links with sectarian groups. The minister had said sectarianism groups should not be equated with terrorist organisations. Interestingly, this time the military came up with a somewhat similar approach and the ISPR press release said that Parachinar incident is being given a sectarian colour.

“This narrative of the state is not going to help stop the violence but will only further the agenda of terror groups”, said defence analyst Ayesha Siddiqa, while talking to Daily Times. She said the state is to be blamed for the current rise in attacks on religious minorities because of its apparent soft corner for extremists.

Siddiqa further said interior ministry’s stance on differentiating between sectarian outfits and other terror groups is the same as that of the security establishment.

Daily Times contacted the Media Director of Interior Ministry to get details about the FIA action against social media users as ordered by the interior minister after Parachinar bombing. He said that a section of social media tried to use the incident as an excuse to spread sectarianism and the government is looking into the matter.

“We are not against those who protested the attacks, because protesting is a democratic right of every citizen, but the government cannot allow people to create unrest”, he told Daily Times. However, the official refrained from explaining who exactly tried to “fan sectarianism” and what kind of action will be taken against social media users.

During the Parachinar protest, a campaign to express solidarity with the victims of the attack began on social media and the government was urged to address the grievances of protestors, but a counter campaign was also seen. The purpose of the new campaign, started by a certain “defence analyst” with the help of pro-military anonymous accounts, was to prove that those protesting in Parachinar are anti-state and therefore guilty of committing treason.

Daily Times spoke to civil society activist Jibran Nasir who, along with three other activists, had gone to Parachinar to join the locals’ protest before any civilian or military leader could visit the area.

“Those who accused the people of Parachinar of treason are sad excuses for Pakistanis. Pakistan flags were flying at every pole at the dharna venue”, Jibran told Daily Times. He said even after losing so much to terror, the people of Parachinar have shown extraordinary resilience, adding that those doubting their patriotism should be ashamed of themselves.

“They have done more for Pakistan than these so-called analysts can and will ever do”, Jibran said.

These terror attacks won’t stop until the state revisits its approach and ends the policy of tolerance towards sectarian groups. There is no such thing as a ‘good’ militant, they are all bad. Furthermore, the narrative that mentioning victim’s faith harms national harmony is unfair and should end now. By hiding the victims’ identity, you are in fact strengthening the hands of the perpetrator and enabling further attacks.

Published in Daily Times, July 9^th , 2017.