Crossing Continents

Hazaras, Hatred and Pakistan


Listen Later

Mobeen Azhar travels to the Pakistani city of Quetta to investigate how it has become the scene of violent and indiscriminate attacks by Sunni militants against the local ethnic Hazara community. It's a city which has become effectively a no-go area for foreign journalists due to the persistent and intensifying violence. Mobeen tells the story of a single day in January of this year when over 100 people lost their lives in twin bombings in Quetta. Claiming responsibility was the Sunni militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Mobeen retraces the story of the bombings, and examines the growing security concerns in a district dominated by the Shia Hazara community.

He speaks to Fayyaz Mohammed, a candidate in the forthcoming elections who has links to Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and talks with Paul Bhatti, who until recently was the Pakistani Minister of National Harmony. Bhatti blames the government's inability to enforce "effective policy" on Pakistan's long history of military dictatorship. Azhar meets blast survivors and the families of victims, and finds out how the security situation is causing many young Hazaras to leave Quetta to seek a better life elsewhere - despite the dangers of putting their lives in the hands of people smugglers.

Producer: Julie Ball.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Crossing ContinentsBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

74 ratings


More shows like Crossing Continents

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,454 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

365 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,797 Listeners

File on 4 Investigates by BBC Radio 4

File on 4 Investigates

40 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

153 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,652 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

303 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

98 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

477 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,753 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,090 Listeners

The Bottom Line by BBC Radio 4

The Bottom Line

35 Listeners

More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

893 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

963 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,081 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,046 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

44 Listeners

Moral Maze by BBC Radio 4

Moral Maze

63 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

841 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

754 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

85 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

4,198 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,016 Listeners

The Great Post Office Trial by BBC Radio 4

The Great Post Office Trial

45 Listeners