QUETTA: Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Tuesday inaugurated the first-ever ‘Hazargi’ language transmission on state-run Pakistan Television (PTV), meeting a longtime demand of the ethnic Hazara community living in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan.

Over 1,500 Hazaras have been killed in Pakistan over the last decade in attacks by Pakistani militant groups, as well as Daesh, who view Shiites as apostates. Attacks have included bombings in schools and crowded markets and brazen ambushes of buses along Pakistani roads. 

The wave of killings has left the community's around 300,000 members afraid to venture out of their enclaves in the east and west of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan. Community leaders say over 50,000 Hazaras have fled to Europe and Australia, many of them opting for perilous sea routes as illegal migrants.

In what observers said would provide a “healing touch” to the community, PM Kakar travelled to Quetta on Tuesday and inaugurated a new Hazargi transmission on PTV's Bolan service, which was launched in 2005 to broadcast regional programmes in the Brahui, Balochi and Pashto languages and is primarily targeted at people living in Balochistan.

“Today I am glad that another local language in Balochistan has been connected with the national transmission which would give the Hazargi language new recognition,” Kakar said as he addressed a ceremony held at the PTV Quetta center.

“The Hazara community has contributed their important share for the development and identity of Quetta and Balochistan.”

The Hazargi language, mainly spoken by Hazaras in Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan, is a mixture of ancient Persian languages.

“The state is responsible to heal the Hazara community and we appreciate the prime minister’s initiative for airing Hazargi transmission on state television,” Abdul Khaliq Hazara, chairman of the Hazar Democratic Party, told Arab News.

“The initiative would be a positive step toward inclusivity among the diverse nations living in Balochistan,” the former minister said. 

“More than 50,000 of our community members have left Pakistan due to frequent attacks and the Hazargi transmission on state television will provide them an opportunity to watch the transmission in their mother tongue.”

Syed Ali Shah, a senior journalist based in Quetta, said the introduction of the new transmission was a “healing touch” for the persecuted community.

“This was a longstanding demand of the Hazara community in Balochistan,” Shah said. “Transmissions in local languages promotes diversity and culture, which should be fostered across Pakistan.”