More than a month has passed since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan but the state of affairs in the troubled country doesn't appear to be any different from what was witnessed in the 1990s.

In an interview with Washington based outlet NPR, veteran Afghan journalist Najibullah Quraishi has refuted the claims that the new government in Afghanistan is "moderate" in any way.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/women-teachers-face-uncertain-future-after-taliban-bans-them-from-schools-417874">Women teachers face uncertain future after Taliban bans them from schools</a>

Quraishi on Friday&nbsp;that nothing has changed from how the outfit ruled that country in the 1990s."I don't know why they promised that they're going to be moderate, but I don't think so," Quraishi told NPR.

"According to what I'm noticing, what I'm witnessing here in Afghanistan, they are the Taliban.

There is nothing changed between the Taliban in the '90s and between the Taliban in 2021."According to Quraishi, the Taliban have reinstated harsh punishments in the country.

Kabul fell to the Taliban in August and since then people are in a state of terror with increasing cases of human rights abuses being reported from several parts of the country.

Recently, the United Nations and other rights groups have received harrowing and credible reports of the impact on civilians of violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/displaced-families-in-kabul-to-return-home-taliban-419096">Displaced families in Kabul to return home: Taliban</a>

Taliban forces unlawfully killed 13 ethnic Hazaras, including a 17-year-old girl, in Afghanistan's Daykundi province, a rights group said earlier this week.

The killings happened in Kahor village of Khidir district on 30 August.

Eleven of the victims were former members of the Afghan National Defence Security Forces (ANDSF), and two were civilians, a new investigation by Amnesty International has revealed.

According to eyewitness testimony gathered by Amnesty International, the Taliban extrajudicially executed nine of the ANDSF members after they had surrendered, killings that appear to be war crimes.

Two civilians were killed as they attempted to flee, including a 17-year-old girl shot when the Taliban opened fire on a crowd of people.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-ransack-kabuls-gurdwara-karte-parwan-break-cctv-camera-and-locks-418481">Taliban ransack Kabul’s Gurdwara Karte Parwan, break CCTV camera and locks</a>

The rights group verified photographs and video evidence taken in the aftermath of the killings, and identified the location of Kahor village, where they happened.

"These cold-blooded executions are further proof that the Taliban are committing the same horrific abuses they were notorious for during their previous rule of Afghanistan," said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International`s Secretary-General."

They repeatedly violate the rights of those they perceive as their adversaries, even killing those who have already surrendered. The Taliban say they are not targeting former employees of the previous government, but these killings contradict such claims," Callamard said.

More than a month has passed since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan but the state of affairs in the troubled country doesn't appear to be any different from what was witnessed in the 1990s.

More than a month has passed since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan but the state of affairs in the troubled country doesn't appear to be any different from what was witnessed in the 1990s. In an interview with Washington based outlet NPR, veteran Afghan journalist Najibullah Quraishi has refuted the claims that the new government in Afghanistan is "moderate" in any way. Also Read | Women teachers face uncertain future after Taliban bans them from schools Quraishi on Friday that nothing has changed from how the outfit ruled that country in the 1990s."I don't know why they promised that they're going to be moderate, but I don't think so," Quraishi told NPR. "According to what I'm noticing, what I'm witnessing here in Afghanistan, they are the Taliban. There is nothing changed between the Taliban in the '90s and between the Taliban in 2021."According to Quraishi, the Taliban have reinstated harsh punishments in the country. Kabul fell to the Taliban in August and since then people are in a state of terror with increasing cases of human rights abuses being reported from several parts of the country. Recently, the United Nations and other rights groups have received harrowing and credible reports of the impact on civilians of violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights. Also Read | Displaced families in Kabul to return home: Taliban Taliban forces unlawfully killed 13 ethnic Hazaras, including a 17-year-old girl, in Afghanistan's Daykundi province, a rights group said earlier this week. The killings happened in Kahor village of Khidir district on 30 August. Eleven of the victims were former members of the Afghan National Defence Security Forces (ANDSF), and two were civilians, a new investigation by Amnesty International has revealed. According to eyewitness testimony gathered by Amnesty International, the Taliban extrajudicially executed nine of the ANDSF members after they had surrendered, killings that appear to be war crimes. Two civilians were killed as they attempted to flee, including a 17-year-old girl shot when the Taliban opened fire on a crowd of people. Also Read | Taliban ransack Kabul’s Gurdwara Karte Parwan, break CCTV camera and locks The rights group verified photographs and video evidence taken in the aftermath of the killings, and identified the location of Kahor village, where they happened. "These cold-blooded executions are further proof that the Taliban are committing the same horrific abuses they were notorious for during their previous rule of Afghanistan," said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International`s Secretary-General." They repeatedly violate the rights of those they perceive as their adversaries, even killing those who have already surrendered. The Taliban say they are not targeting former employees of the previous government, but these killings contradict such claims," Callamard said.

Nothing changed between Taliban of 1990s and 2021: Report

Minorities are under attack in Taliban's Afghanistan: +Men from the Taliban vandalised a Sikh shrine in Kabul +A Taliban leader hailed Ghaznavi for "smashing Somnath idol" +Ethnic Hazaras have been massacred Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Taliban Attack Gurudwara, Hail Ghaznavi who plundered Somnath

Peace talks between the Taliban and the government in Kabul have hit multiple roadblocks. With US troops withdrawing and likely to withdraw more by May 2021, the minority Hazara community in Afghanistan is extremely apprehensive about its future.

Hazaras fear for the future as foreign troops exit Afghanistan

Crowded into "ghettos" surrounded by armed checkpoints, Pakistan's Shiite Hazara minority say they are being slaughtered by sectarian militants in the southwestern city of Quetta, with authorities seemingly unable to halt the killings.

For years, hundreds of thousands of the Shiite community's members have been hemmed into two separate enclaves cordoned off by numerous checkpoints and hundreds of armed guards designed to protect the minority from violent militants.

"It's like a prison here," said Bostan Ali, a Hazara activist, about conditions inside the enclaves.

"The Hazaras are experiencing mental torture," he added, complaining the community has been effectively "cut off from the rest of the city" and "confined" to such areas.

The Shiite community's presence is particularly strong in Quetta -- the uneasy capital of impoverished Balochistan province where sectarian violence, suicide bombings, and banditry are common.

Hazaras are technically free to roam around Quetta at their will, but few do, fearing attacks.

To further protect the group, day traders and market vendors are also given armed escorts when they leave their neighbourhoods, while ongoing military operations are said to be targeting militants in the restive province.

But even these measures have proven inept at stopping major attacks on Hazaras.

Just last month a bombing at a vegetable market left 21 dead and 47 more wounded -- with the majority of the victims identified as Hazara.

The incident is all the more disturbing considering the group was under the protection of Pakistani paramilitary forces, who failed to stop the suicide bomber from detonating in the crowd.

The attack -- claimed by the Islamic State and its local anti-Shiite affiliate Lashkar-e-Jhangvi -- is just the latest in a long series of assaults targeting the group, including back-to-back bombings in early 2013 that killed nearly 200 of its members.

The situation across the border in Afghanistan is equally if not more dangerous, with Hazara mosques, schools, and community events regularly attacked by insurgents.

'Prison'

Pakistan has long been a cauldron of unrest and sectarian violence, with the officially Islamic Republic home to myriad sects of Islam and religious minorities that have been targeted by violent extremists for decades.

The Hazara have proven to be particularly vulnerable with their distinct Central Asian features making the members of the community easy targets for Sunni militants who consider them heretics.

At the entrance to Hazara town -- one of the two enclaves in Quetta -- a grim scene plays out every day as Hazara men squeeze into the backs of a long line of trucks headed in the city to buy food from the markets.&nbsp;

Once there, they are flanked by soldiers as they buy supplies before heading back to their homes in a heavily armed convoy.

Authorities insist the measures are a necessity.

In the last five years, 500 Hazaras have been killed and another 627 wounded in Quetta alone, according to a Pakistani security source familiar with the situation who asked not to be named.&nbsp;

"We know that we are passing through a killing field" explained Nauroz Ali, about life outside the enclaves.

He added,&nbsp;"But we have to earn a living for our families."

Criticised for their inability to stop the attacks, officials point to their own casualties in the fight against sectarian extremists as proof that they are trying their best.

Over the past six years, in their efforts to protect them "more police officers have died than Hazaras" says local police officer Abdur Razzak Cheema, adding that many terrorists have been arrested and others eliminated due to their efforts.

He explained,&nbsp;"New groups emerge. We're trying to track them down and eradicate the threat."

'No escape'

There are also plans to begin installing surveillance cameras at markets to improve security but Hazara community leaders are sceptical of the plans saying the existing measures have failed to stem the bloodshed.

"If three checkpoints in 3 km cannot keep (us) safe, can escorts, barriers and CCTV do any better?" wrote Muhammad Aman, a professor and activist, in a recent editorial in the Pakistani daily newspaper, Dawn.

"It seems that the terrorists are winning this war... there is no escape," he added.

Even the enclaves are not safe, as the bloody bombings in 2013 that struck inside the protected areas demonstrated.

As a result between 75,000 and 100,000 Hazaras have fled violence elsewhere in the country or abroad in recent years, according to the Hazara Democratic Party, &nbsp;

"We are hopeless," said Tahir Hazara, describing their neighbourhoods as nothing more than "ghettos".

He asked, "From whom should we expect protection to save our lives?"

Crowded into "ghettos" surrounded by armed checkpoints, Pakistan's Shiite Hazara minority say they are being slaughtered by sectarian militants in the southwestern city of Quetta, with authorities seemingly unable to halt the killings.

Crowded into "ghettos" surrounded by armed checkpoints, Pakistan's Shiite Hazara minority say they are being slaughtered by sectarian militants in the southwestern city of Quetta, with authorities seemingly unable to halt the killings. For years, hundreds of thousands of the Shiite community's members have been hemmed into two separate enclaves cordoned off by numerous checkpoints and hundreds of armed guards designed to protect the minority from violent militants. "It's like a prison here," said Bostan Ali, a Hazara activist, about conditions inside the enclaves. "The Hazaras are experiencing mental torture," he added, complaining the community has been effectively "cut off from the rest of the city" and "confined" to such areas. The Shiite community's presence is particularly strong in Quetta -- the uneasy capital of impoverished Balochistan province where sectarian violence, suicide bombings, and banditry are common. Hazaras are technically free to roam around Quetta at their will, but few do, fearing attacks. To further protect the group, day traders and market vendors are also given armed escorts when they leave their neighbourhoods, while ongoing military operations are said to be targeting militants in the restive province. But even these measures have proven inept at stopping major attacks on Hazaras. Just last month a bombing at a vegetable market left 21 dead and 47 more wounded -- with the majority of the victims identified as Hazara. The incident is all the more disturbing considering the group was under the protection of Pakistani paramilitary forces, who failed to stop the suicide bomber from detonating in the crowd. The attack -- claimed by the Islamic State and its local anti-Shiite affiliate Lashkar-e-Jhangvi -- is just the latest in a long series of assaults targeting the group, including back-to-back bombings in early 2013 that killed nearly 200 of its members. The situation across the border in Afghanistan is equally if not more dangerous, with Hazara mosques, schools, and community events regularly attacked by insurgents. 'Prison' Pakistan has long been a cauldron of unrest and sectarian violence, with the officially Islamic Republic home to myriad sects of Islam and religious minorities that have been targeted by violent extremists for decades. The Hazara have proven to be particularly vulnerable with their distinct Central Asian features making the members of the community easy targets for Sunni militants who consider them heretics. At the entrance to Hazara town -- one of the two enclaves in Quetta -- a grim scene plays out every day as Hazara men squeeze into the backs of a long line of trucks headed in the city to buy food from the markets. Once there, they are flanked by soldiers as they buy supplies before heading back to their homes in a heavily armed convoy. Authorities insist the measures are a necessity. In the last five years, 500 Hazaras have been killed and another 627 wounded in Quetta alone, according to a Pakistani security source familiar with the situation who asked not to be named. "We know that we are passing through a killing field" explained Nauroz Ali, about life outside the enclaves. He added, "But we have to earn a living for our families." Criticised for their inability to stop the attacks, officials point to their own casualties in the fight against sectarian extremists as proof that they are trying their best. Over the past six years, in their efforts to protect them "more police officers have died than Hazaras" says local police officer Abdur Razzak Cheema, adding that many terrorists have been arrested and others eliminated due to their efforts. He explained, "New groups emerge. We're trying to track them down and eradicate the threat." 'No escape' There are also plans to begin installing surveillance cameras at markets to improve security but Hazara community leaders are sceptical of the plans saying the existing measures have failed to stem the bloodshed. "If three checkpoints in 3 km cannot keep (us) safe, can escorts, barriers and CCTV do any better?" wrote Muhammad Aman, a professor and activist, in a recent editorial in the Pakistani daily newspaper, Dawn. "It seems that the terrorists are winning this war... there is no escape," he added. Even the enclaves are not safe, as the bloody bombings in 2013 that struck inside the protected areas demonstrated. As a result between 75,000 and 100,000 Hazaras have fled violence elsewhere in the country or abroad in recent years, according to the Hazara Democratic Party, "We are hopeless," said Tahir Hazara, describing their neighbourhoods as nothing more than "ghettos". He asked, "From whom should we expect protection to save our lives?"

Pakistan's Hazaras fear for their lives in besieged 'ghettos'

Minority Shi'ite Hazaras blocked traffic in a sit-in protest for a third day in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Sunday (April 14) after a suicide bomb killed 19 people in an outdoor market, many of them ethnic Hazaras.

Minority Hazaras in Pakistan protest for third day after Quetta attack

Minority Shia Hazaras blocked traffic in a sit-in protest for a third day in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Sunday after a suicide bomb killed 19 people in an outdoor market, many of them ethnic Hazaras.

Dozens were wounded in the blast on Friday on the outskirts of Quetta, capital of resource-rich Baluchistan.province, officials said. Islamic State claimed responsibility.

Hazaras have been frequently targeted by Taliban and Islamic State.militants and other Sunni Muslim militant groups in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"We've lost hundreds of our loved ones in the last 10 years," Tahir Hazara, leading the sit-in, told Reuters. "The government failed to protect our community. Terrorists are free to target us." "Stop killing Hazaras," the crowd chanted. "Down with terrorism and sectarianism."

The protesters, who include many women and children, have set up camps and burn wood to keep warm at night. One police official said there were about 200 people taking part on Sunday, blocking the key arterial Western Bypass leading into Quetta. About 50 Hazaras gathered in the southern city of Karachi, some holding signs saying "Shia lives matter".

Friday's bloodshed came two days after authorities freed Ramzan Mengal, a top leader of a banned sectarian group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Quetta police chief Abdul Razzaq Cheema said. Mengal had been detained for three months suspected of public order offences, he said.

The LeJ has worked both with al Qaeda and Islamic State in Pakistan and has claimed several coordinated attacks in Baluchistan against what it terms Shia heretics. In 2013, three bombings killed more than 200 people in Hazara neighbourhoods, prompting security forces to escort Hazara buses to the market. The same practice was followed on Friday, but the bomb exploded inside the market.

Minority Shia Hazaras blocked traffic in a sit-in protest for a third day in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Sunday after a suicide bomb killed 19 people in an outdoor market, many of them ethnic Hazaras.

Minority Shia Hazaras blocked traffic in a sit-in protest for a third day in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Sunday after a suicide bomb killed 19 people in an outdoor market, many of them ethnic Hazaras. Dozens were wounded in the blast on Friday on the outskirts of Quetta, capital of resource-rich Baluchistan.province, officials said. Islamic State claimed responsibility. Hazaras have been frequently targeted by Taliban and Islamic State.militants and other Sunni Muslim militant groups in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. "We've lost hundreds of our loved ones in the last 10 years," Tahir Hazara, leading the sit-in, told Reuters. "The government failed to protect our community. Terrorists are free to target us." "Stop killing Hazaras," the crowd chanted. "Down with terrorism and sectarianism." The protesters, who include many women and children, have set up camps and burn wood to keep warm at night. One police official said there were about 200 people taking part on Sunday, blocking the key arterial Western Bypass leading into Quetta. About 50 Hazaras gathered in the southern city of Karachi, some holding signs saying "Shia lives matter". Friday's bloodshed came two days after authorities freed Ramzan Mengal, a top leader of a banned sectarian group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Quetta police chief Abdul Razzaq Cheema said. Mengal had been detained for three months suspected of public order offences, he said. The LeJ has worked both with al Qaeda and Islamic State in Pakistan and has claimed several coordinated attacks in Baluchistan against what it terms Shia heretics. In 2013, three bombings killed more than 200 people in Hazara neighbourhoods, prompting security forces to escort Hazara buses to the market. The same practice was followed on Friday, but the bomb exploded inside the market.

Hazaras protest continues for 3rd day in Pakistan after deadly suicide bombing

Hundreds of Hazaras in the Balochistan capital recently gathered together to protest against the targeted killings and the constant persecution of the community.

The agitation entered its second day on Monday.

On Twitter, many shared pictures of the sit-in protest that was held to condemn the killings of the Shia Hazara community as well as criticise the Pakistan government for not taking any action to ensure the safety and security of the community.

A Twitter user shared a snap from the demonstration at Quetta's Alamdar Road, writing, "The sit-in on Alamdar Road, Quetta enters its day two while provincial and federal governments have not taken any measures to provide security to #Hazaras. #GenocideOfHazaras @ImranKhanPTI @antonioguterres @hrw @amnesty @UN_HRC." 
&nbsp

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The sit-in on Alamdar Road, Quetta enters its day two while provincial and federal governments have not taken any measures to provide security to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hazaras?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hazaras</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GenocideOfHazaras?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GenocideOfHazaras</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/antonioguterres?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@antonioguterres</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hrw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hrw</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/amnesty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@amnesty</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/UN_HRC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN_HRC</a> <a href="https://t.co/UYTxcDfKQw">pic.twitter.com/UYTxcDfKQw</a>
— Liaquat Ali Hazara (@LiaquatAliFaiz) <a href="https://twitter.com/LiaquatAliFaiz/status/980679262708621313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp

 
A Pakistani activist named Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi took to his Twitter page and posted an image of yesterday's sit-in protest.

"Hazara community starts a sit-in to protest today's brutal killings. Over 1500 Hazara Shias have been target killed in last few years. Several sit-ins, protests and promises later- we stand here again. Does anyone listen in this country?" he tweeted.

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Hazara community starts a sit-in to protest today's brutal killings. Over 1500 Hazara Shias have been target killed in last few years. Several sit-ins, protests and promises later- we stand here again. Does anyone listen in this country? <a href="https://t.co/EEYbKMXSGO">pic.twitter.com/EEYbKMXSGO</a>
— Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ali_Abbas_Zaidi/status/980544772736737285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp

Shireen Mazari, a Pakistani politician, who serves as a chief whip for Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, also condemned the incidents of targetted killings of the Hazara community.

She wrote, "Condemnable targeting of Hazaras again by terrorists in Quetta. Where is the security for the Hazara community that is a constant target of sectarian terrorism?"

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Condemnable targeting of Hazaras again by terrorists in Quetta. Where is the security for the Hazara community that is a constant target of sectarian terrorism?
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/980341690660741120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp

On Sunday, a man from the Hazara community was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in Quetta's Qandhari Bazar, while a second person suffered bullet wounds, in what was seen as a suspected targeted killing incident against the community.

As per The Dawn, police sources said that the two men were riding a vehicle when the incident occurred.

The deceased was identified as Nazar Hussain. The injured person was rushed to the Civil Hospital Quetta.

An investigation for the same is underway as to what caused the attack. As of now, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A police officer was quoted as saying that the incident appeared to be an act of "targeted killing".

The Hazara community is targeted by miscreants because of their distinctive physical appearance and has been severely affected by sectarian terrorism in Balochistan in the last few years.

Last month, a report released by the Pakistan National Commission for Human Rights showed that 509 people from the Shia Hazara community were killed, while 627 of them were wounded in different incidents of terrorism for the last five years in the Balochistan capital.

The Hazaras are an ethnic group native to the Hazarajat region in central Afghanistan, speaking the Hazaragi variant of Dari, which is an eastern variety of Persian language. It is also one of the two official languages of Afghanistan after Pashto.

They are Shia Muslims and make up the third largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. The Hazaras also make up a significant minority group in Pakistan, largely living in Quetta.&nbsp

On Sunday, a man from the Hazara community was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in Quetta's Qandhari Bazar, while a second person suffered bullet wounds, in what was seen as a suspected targeted killing incident against the community

Hundreds of Hazaras in the Balochistan capital recently gathered together to protest against the targeted killings and the constant persecution of the community. The agitation entered its second day on Monday. On Twitter, many shared pictures of the sit-in protest that was held to condemn the killings of the Shia Hazara community as well as criticise the Pakistan government for not taking any action to ensure the safety and security of the community. A Twitter user shared a snap from the demonstration at Quetta's Alamdar Road, writing, "The sit-in on Alamdar Road, Quetta enters its day two while provincial and federal governments have not taken any measures to provide security to #Hazaras. #GenocideOfHazaras @ImranKhanPTI @antonioguterres @hrw @amnesty @UN_HRC." The sit-in on Alamdar Road, Quetta enters its day two while provincial and federal governments have not taken any measures to provide security to #Hazaras. #GenocideOfHazaras @ImranKhanPTI @antonioguterres @hrw @amnesty @UN_HRC pic.twitter.com/UYTxcDfKQw — Liaquat Ali Hazara (@LiaquatAliFaiz) April 2, 2018 × A Pakistani activist named Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi took to his Twitter page and posted an image of yesterday's sit-in protest. "Hazara community starts a sit-in to protest today's brutal killings. Over 1500 Hazara Shias have been target killed in last few years. Several sit-ins, protests and promises later- we stand here again. Does anyone listen in this country?" he tweeted. Hazara community starts a sit-in to protest today's brutal killings. Over 1500 Hazara Shias have been target killed in last few years. Several sit-ins, protests and promises later- we stand here again. Does anyone listen in this country? pic.twitter.com/EEYbKMXSGO — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) April 1, 2018 × Shireen Mazari, a Pakistani politician, who serves as a chief whip for Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, also condemned the incidents of targetted killings of the Hazara community. She wrote, "Condemnable targeting of Hazaras again by terrorists in Quetta. Where is the security for the Hazara community that is a constant target of sectarian terrorism?" Condemnable targeting of Hazaras again by terrorists in Quetta. Where is the security for the Hazara community that is a constant target of sectarian terrorism? — Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) April 1, 2018 × On Sunday, a man from the Hazara community was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in Quetta's Qandhari Bazar, while a second person suffered bullet wounds, in what was seen as a suspected targeted killing incident against the community. As per The Dawn, police sources said that the two men were riding a vehicle when the incident occurred. The deceased was identified as Nazar Hussain. The injured person was rushed to the Civil Hospital Quetta. An investigation for the same is underway as to what caused the attack. As of now, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. A police officer was quoted as saying that the incident appeared to be an act of "targeted killing". The Hazara community is targeted by miscreants because of their distinctive physical appearance and has been severely affected by sectarian terrorism in Balochistan in the last few years. Last month, a report released by the Pakistan National Commission for Human Rights showed that 509 people from the Shia Hazara community were killed, while 627 of them were wounded in different incidents of terrorism for the last five years in the Balochistan capital. The Hazaras are an ethnic group native to the Hazarajat region in central Afghanistan, speaking the Hazaragi variant of Dari, which is an eastern variety of Persian language. It is also one of the two official languages of Afghanistan after Pashto. They are Shia Muslims and make up the third largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. The Hazaras also make up a significant minority group in Pakistan, largely living in Quetta.

Hazaras gather in Balochistan to protest against targeted killings

Thousands of people from Afghanistan&#39;s Hazara minority demonstrated in the capital Kabul today to demand changes to the route of a planned multi-million dollar power transmission line. 
 
The demonstrators are demanding that the 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be re-routed through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions and delay the badly needed project by years. 
 
Waving Afghan flags and chanting slogans like &quot;Justice! Justice!&quot; and &quot;Death to discrimination!&quot;, demonstrators gathered near Kabul University, several kilometres from the main government area, which police sealed off. 
 
Security was tight and helicopters patrolled overhead but there was no sign of trouble as the protest began. 
 
The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces is part of a project backed by the Asia Development Bank aimed at linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan. 
 
Hazaras say they want the transmission line to come through their area because that would ensure their power supply. 
 
Only 30 per cent of country connected to electricity system&nbsp; 
 
The government says the project already guarantees ample power to the provinces of Bamyan and Wardak, west of Kabul, where many Hazaras live, and denies accusations that it disadvantages Hazara people, a mainly Shia minority. 
 
Under current plans, due to be implemented by 2018, the line will pass from a converter station in the northern town of Pul-e Khumri to Kabul through the mountainous Salang pass. 
 
An earlier version of the plan foresaw a longer route from Pul-e Khumri through Bamyan and Wardak, but this option was subsequently dropped. 
 
The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 per cent of the population, are Afghanistan&#39;s third largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination. Thousands were killed during Taliban rule. 
 
However, they are politically well-organised and several of their leaders are part of President Ashraf Ghani&#39;s delicately balanced national unity government, which has added to the sensitivity surrounding the protests. 
 
&quot;We will not allow them to enjoy their time in palaces while those who voted for them stay in darkness,&quot; said demonstrator Mohammad Ali, 34. 
 
Saturday&#39;s demonstration follows a protest in May, after which Ghani promised a committee of inquiry into the case. That committee, however, recommended sticking with the route through the Salang pass. 
 
Strengthening and expanding Afghanistan&#39;s creaking power network is among the government&#39;s top development priorities as currently only 30 per cent of the country is connected to the electricity system. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Hazaras say they want the transmission line to come through their area because that would ensure their power supply

Thousands of people from Afghanistan's Hazara minority demonstrated in the capital Kabul today to demand changes to the route of a planned multi-million dollar power transmission line. The demonstrators are demanding that the 500 kV transmission line from Turkmenistan to Kabul be re-routed through two provinces with large Hazara populations, an option the government says would cost millions and delay the badly needed project by years. Waving Afghan flags and chanting slogans like "Justice! Justice!" and "Death to discrimination!", demonstrators gathered near Kabul University, several kilometres from the main government area, which police sealed off. Security was tight and helicopters patrolled overhead but there was no sign of trouble as the protest began. The transmission line, intended to provide secure electricity to 10 provinces is part of a project backed by the Asia Development Bank aimed at linking energy-rich states of Central Asia with Afghanistan and Pakistan. Hazaras say they want the transmission line to come through their area because that would ensure their power supply. Only 30 per cent of country connected to electricity system The government says the project already guarantees ample power to the provinces of Bamyan and Wardak, west of Kabul, where many Hazaras live, and denies accusations that it disadvantages Hazara people, a mainly Shia minority. Under current plans, due to be implemented by 2018, the line will pass from a converter station in the northern town of Pul-e Khumri to Kabul through the mountainous Salang pass. An earlier version of the plan foresaw a longer route from Pul-e Khumri through Bamyan and Wardak, but this option was subsequently dropped. The Persian-speaking Hazara, estimated to make up about 9 per cent of the population, are Afghanistan's third largest minority but they have long suffered discrimination. Thousands were killed during Taliban rule. However, they are politically well-organised and several of their leaders are part of President Ashraf Ghani's delicately balanced national unity government, which has added to the sensitivity surrounding the protests. "We will not allow them to enjoy their time in palaces while those who voted for them stay in darkness," said demonstrator Mohammad Ali, 34. Saturday's demonstration follows a protest in May, after which Ghani promised a committee of inquiry into the case. That committee, however, recommended sticking with the route through the Salang pass. Strengthening and expanding Afghanistan's creaking power network is among the government's top development priorities as currently only 30 per cent of the country is connected to the electricity system. (Reuters)

Minority Hazaras in Kabul demand changes to planned multi-million dollar power transmission line

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