India using Daesh for terror acts in Balochistan, says PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that India is using Daesh to carry out terrorist activities in Balochistan, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The prime minister said the Hazara community is facing genocide and his government is taking steps for their security. He assured that the whole of Pakistan, the government and the security institutions are standing with the Hazara community.

Talking to newsmen in Quetta on Saturday, the prime minister said India is trying to fan sectarianism in Pakistan and the recent target killing of Maulana Adil was a part of it.

Imran Khan said recently Daesh and some other militant groups have joined hands. “Unfortunately, Afghan jehad has come to an end but militant groups still exist and they have hurt Pakistan the most,” he said.

He said Pakistan’s security institutions have performed splendidly to avert sectarian incidents. “They have pre-empted several militant attacks and made many arrests,” he added.

He said our security forces have eliminated most of these militant groups but some 35-40 militants are still active. “We have been briefed by the agencies that the Sunni and Shia ulema can be targeted,” he added.

Accompanied by federal and provincial leadership, the prime minister met the bereaved families and offered Fateha for peace of the departed souls of the miners killed in the terrorist incident in Machh area of District Bolan on Sunday, January 3.

He assured the Hazara community that some forces are trying exploit the Sunni-Shia divide in Pakistan and in the world. “I tried to broker peace between Saudi Arabia and Iran,” he added.

Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Hazara community leader Agha Raza said they put forward their demands before the prime minister. He said they also recorded their protest against prime minister’s ‘blackmailers’ remarks.

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Meeting on security

Prime Minister Imran Khan also chaired a meeting in Quetta to discuss with the federal and provincial leadership the overall security situation of the province, particularly the tragic killing of Hazara miners.

Balochistan Governor Amanullah Khan Yasinzai, Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan, federal ministers Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Syed Ali Zaidi, Ali Amin Gandapur, Special Assistant to PM Zulfiqar Bukhari and National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri attended the meeting.

Home Minister Ziaullah Langov, Commander of Southern Command Lt General Sarfaraz Ali, Inspector General of Police Balochsitan Mohsin Hassan Butt, Chief Secretary Capt (retd) Fazeel Asghar and senior civil and military officers were also present.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Quetta to condole with the slain miners’ families from Hazara community, hours after burial of their bodies.

Hours before, the funeral prayers for the deceased miners were offered and bodies buried following a six-day sit-in along with the coffins carrying the mortal remains of the miners. Thousands of people attended the funeral prayers.

The protesters had linked end to their sit-in with the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan and acceptance of their demands. However, the PM had requested the community to bury the bodies assuring them of his visit and to stand with them in the time of their suffering.

The burial of bodies in Quetta’s Hazar Town graveyard and end to sit-ins being held across the country was preceded by several rounds of negotiations between the martyrs’ committee and government authorities including Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi and Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Sayed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari.

Authorities on Friday promised the arrest of the attackers, payment of compensation to the bereaved families and better security for the Hazaras. 

Attached are demands + written agreement offered by the Govt.
Although, no one can ever put a value on human life, but for info, the agreed compensation is much higher than what the agreement says.
Q: If all is agreed, then who is playing politics with bodies of the martyrs? pic.twitter.com/2OEnJVaavT

— Ali Haider Zaidi (@AliHZaidiPTI) January 8, 2021

More than 4,000 people attended the last rites of the dead miners whose bodies were laid to rest amid tight security six days after their deaths.

"The provincial government will form a joint investigation team to recommend action against those found guilty of negligence leading to the incident," said the agreement, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.

The deal also called for setting up a high-level commission headed by Balochistan's home minister to investigate attacks against the Hazara community in the past 22 years.