“We consider ourselves citizens of the Pakistani state. We have Pakistani ID cards and Pakistani passports and use Pakistani currency. Unfortunately, the policies of supporting extremist organizations are still being continued by elements in the Pakistani state. The extremist groups who attack the Hazara continue to receive state support.”

The following interview was conducted with representatives from the Women of Baluchistan and Role of Women in Revolution online group created in July, 2012. The page is run by a collective of individuals with the aim of raising awareness about:
1. Baloch women who are struggling for freedom and the betterment of Baloch society and
2. The role of women in revolutions around the world
We hoped to discern information about the role of Baloch women in the nationalist movement, their thoughts on the struggle, upcoming elections, and the class and gender composition of Baloch leadership.

On March 9, 2013, dozens of houses in a predominantly Christian neighbourhood of Lahore, Pakistan were raided by a violent mob of over 2000 Muslims. The houses were looted and torched, while the residents’ belongings were set on fire. Although there were no reported deaths, about 20 police officers were injured and over 100 houses, 18 shops and 2 churches were destroyed.

Over 2000 innocent people have been killed since 1999. In just the first two months of 2013, two major attacks took place in Quetta targeting the Hazara Shia community and resulted in over 200 casualties. PDF believes that sectarian violence in Pakistan is a direct result of the state’s patronage of extremist organizations to serve its domestic and foreign interests. We call for the Pakistani state to immediately end its policy of sponsoring and appeasing extremists, and take concrete steps to provide security to all minority groups in Pakistan.

STRATEGY Session Against Shia Killings in Pakistan: On Saturday February 16, the Hazara Shia community was once again targeted with a bomb attack in Quetta, Pakistan. Over 84 people were killed and 200 wounded only a month after another attack on this community claimed over 90 lives.

PDF Interview Series: Professor Aasim Sajjad Akhtar is a professor of political economy at the Quaid I Azam University, and a renowned writer and activist. Here he speaks to us about his understanding of Pakistan and its politics.