Hazara community continues sit-in for fifth day over killing of 11 miners
QUETTA (92 News) - Hazara community continued their sit-in with corpses for a fifth straight day during intense cold weather in Quetta, insisting they will bury their dead only when Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan personally visits them to assure protection.
According to the details garnered, thousands of Hazara community members along with families and relatives of 11 slain miners, who were shot dead in Mach area of Kachi district, continue their sit-in on Quetta’s Western Bypass with dead bodies. Women, children and elderly persons are present in the sit-in.
Protests in solidarity with the victims of the Machh massacre continued at as many as 20 spots in Karachi. The protestors are showing solidarity with the tragic incident in other cities including Lahore, Islamabad and Hyderabad.
The negotiations between the government and the protestors failed on Wednesday and the members of the Hazara community persistent in saying they would not bury the dead till PM Imran Khan arrives to their camp.
It is pertinent to mention here that the talks, held a day after Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed visit failed to end the protest, were led by federal minister Ali Zaidi, who was sent as the government's envoy to persuade the Hazaras to end their demonstration.
Zaidi met the protesters and assured them that the perpetrators of the Machh tragedy will be caught soon. However, the families of the deceased refused to end the sit-in and bury the victims of the tragedy, saying they will only end the protest after the prime minister meets them.
Federal minister Ali Zaidi regretted the loss of life in the Machh incident but appealed to the families of the victims to not subject the bodies of the coal miners to any further 'cruelty'.
Yesterday, Sheikh Rasheed, who reached Quetta on a special flight on direction of PM Imran Khan, held a meeting with members of the Hazara community and bereaved families and requested them to bury the dead bodies and assured them that the killers of the Hazara coal miners will be brought to justice.
The minister told protesters that he will arrange a meeting of Hazara community members with Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad in the next three to four days during which they can discuss their issues with the premier directly.
Sheikh Rasheed also announced a compensation of Rs2.5 million for the family of each victim. He said that provincial government will give each family Rs1.5 million, while Rs1 million each will be provided by the centre.
CTD lodged FIR
The Balochistan Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) lodged an FIR under Section 7 of the Anti-terrorism Act 1997 (ATA) against unidentified suspects at the CTD's Naseerabad station.
As per the CTD, the case was lodged on behalf of Machh station house officer (SHO) some 30 hours after the terror incident. It also included Sections 302, 147, 148, and 149 among the clauses.
