London Al-Khoei Foundation condemns the continued attacks against the Shia-Muslims in Pakistan 


The Al-Khoei Foundation is deeply distressed at the loss of lives of Shia-Muslim worshippers in the most recent deadly attack on a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in Peshawar, Pakistan, on 4th March 2022, which killed at least 63 innocent worshippers and injured a further 200 people. We share the pain and send our condolences to the bereaved families. The attack is an unfortunate reminder that the Shia-Muslims in Pakistan are a highly vulnerable group at risk of persecution and terrorist attacks.

ISIS’ local chapter Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) has claimed responsibility for the attack. The organisation has been carrying out deadly attacks against Shia-Muslims in Pakistan and Afghanistan for the last couple of years. The police chief of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has called IS-K a “bigger threat” than any other terror group.

We are also concerned about the presence and activities of anti-Shia organisations in Pakistan. Although organisations such as Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) are proscribed, they continue to hold public anti-Shia rallies across different cities including the country’s capital!

The multi-layered persecution of minorities and Shia-Muslims in Pakistan is a matter of serious concern. In 2020, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported that 40 blasphemy cases were registered against the members of the Shia-Muslim community in a single month. The families of missing persons still await justice and safe returns of their loved ones who were forcibly abducted without any charge and proof.

Erasure of the victims’ religious identity in the local press is another attempt to obscure and deny the Shia-Muslim persecution in Pakistan. Major public stakeholders in Pakistan need to act to curb hate speech and the targeting of particular communities by sectarian stakeholders aiming to stir out conflict and violence in the name of religion.

We demand that the Government of Pakistan take immediate action against the perpetrators and ensure the safety of all its citizens. We also urge the implementation of the National Action Plan and greater efforts to prevent proscribed organisations (and their successor organisations) from spreading hate.

Source: Abna24