Thousands of mourners attended the funeral prayers of the coalminers slain in Machh terror attack which were offered at Hazara Town graveyard in Quetta on Saturday. The burials took place amid sobs, tears and grief, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The funeral prayers of the coalminers were originally planned to be offered at Imambargah Wali-ul-Asr but the venue for funerals was shifted to the Hazara Town graveyard after a huge crowd turned up to attend the funerals.
The large gathering included federal and provinicial ministers, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, local politicians and other high-ups. The Centre was represented by Federal Minister Ali Zaidi and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Zulfi Bukhari. Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langov and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen’s Allama Raja Nasir Abbas attended the funeral prayers.
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The burials happened on the seventh day of the sit-in protest which ended after the government's negotiations with the relatives of the Machh tragedy victims produced results as both sides agreed to proceed further ending the six-day-long deadlock. It has been agreed to set up a special commission to investigate the disappearance of the Hazara community members.
Prime Minister Imran Khan will to arrive in Quetta after the burial of the martyrs, the TV channel reported quoting its sources. The TV channel said “Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa will also visit Quetta soon.”
“The date and schedule of the Army Chief's visit to Quetta will be disclosed soon,” the sources said.
The countrywide protests against the brutal killing of Hazara workers also ended on the seventh day. The announcement of the funerals was announced by Balcohistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal in a tweet.
He said, “Alhamdulilah with the help of Almighty Allah and a great step and gesture shown by the heirs of shuhada... the lavaiqeen have agreed to do burial and call off the sit-in in Quetta and all over Pakistan... we are very thankful.”
Things took an ugly turn on Friday when Prime Minister Imran Khan refused to travel to Quetta to meet Hazara community leaders and also called them 'blackmailers'. The remarks came under harsh criticism from politicians and on social media.
But in the end better sense prevailed and both the sides reached an agreement on the burials of the slain coalminers.
MWM leader terms PM’s statement shameful
MWM central leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri has termed shameful the use of term ‘blackmailers’ by Prime Minister Imran Khan for Hazara mourners, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Talking to newsmen, he said “The prime minister should take lessons on how to communicate.”
He said the prime minister should also apologise to the nation. “The rulers should control their words,” he added.