Irfan Ali Who Died for Balochistan
Reposted from TheBalochHal.com | January 12, 2013 Irfan Ali Who Died for Balochistan
Irfan Ali, source: TheBalochHal.com
By Dr. Saleem Javed
Being a Hazara, Irfan Ali, was destined to collect the dead bodies of his community members ever since adolescence. He ceased to be just a Hazara or a Shia. He crossed every ethnic, sectarian or religious limits and became a true humanist.
Ali used to become a Baloch in sharing the pains inflicted upon the victims of enforced disappearances, kill-and-dump and decades of suppression.
He would become a Pakhtun in protesting against the murders of innocent people who were either killed by drones or by Taliban.
He raised voice against the brutalities committed across the country in the name of religion or sect.
As "˜charity begins at home', he vowed to concentrate his efforts to his province first. He therefore founded Human Rights Commission for Social Justice and Peace aimed at raising awareness about "˜child rights', "˜access of information', "˜human rights values' etc. He aimed to establish "˜human rights resource centers in the rural areas of Balochistan' and put forward practical steps in "˜social mobilization and capacity building for a tolerant society' by conducting numerous workshops, seminars and meetings.
As a stronger believer of peace he left no stone unturned to strengthen ethnic and sectarian harmony among the brotherly nations of Balochistan. He traveled to various districts of Balochistan and met with local political and human rights activists to convey the message of love and brotherhood on behalf of his community amidst a huge conspiracy aimed at creating ethnic and sectarian clashes in the province. As a courageous rights campaigner he not only spoke against the human rights violations, enforced disappearances, extremism, Talibanism and state suppression in Balochistan on various occasions but also attended numerous protest demonstrations from Quetta to Islamabad alongside other activists.
Ali used to always remind the "˜secular Hazaras, Balochs and Pakhtuns to stand up against the menace of extremism, sectarianism and Talibanism in Balochistan'.
"If Baloch, Pashtoon, Hazara want a better future for their children, they must collectively get united and counter kindnappers and terrorists" He once tweeted.
Nobody remained unaffected by the deteriorating law and order situations in the province, as he would always predict. Not only mass-killings but kidnapping for ransom, targeted killings of doctors, professionals and religious minorities etc were on the rise in the province and he sometimes expressed frustrations:
"Golden rule in #Balochistan whoever raises its vocie 4 #justice will be screwed #Drs #Balochs #Pashtoons #Hazaras only killers enjoy life"
Despite serious threats to his life he continued struggling for peace, social justice and equality and eventually he faced what was already expected.
Irfan Ali, in blood-stained coffin, protesting in front of Parliament House, Islamabad.
Ali, a peace activist, lost his life during one of the the systematic terrorist campaigns on January 10, 2013, as he was giving first-aid to the victims of Quetta blasts.
The author is a freelance journalist and human rights activist from Quetta. He can be reached at dr.saleemjavid@gmail.com
