QUETTA: Prime Minister Imran Khan reached Quetta on Saturday where he met with the families of the slain coal miners killed on Jan 3 in a brutal attack in Mach and reaffirmed that the present government is fully committed to resolving all grave issues faced by the Hazara community.
The PM’s visit came hours after the miners were laid to rest at the Hazara Town graveyard in what was the culmination of a week-long protest during which the Hazara community had refused to move ahead with the burials unless visited by the PM Imran himself.
The meeting took place at Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University. PM Imran Khan extended his heartfelt condolences to all those who lost their loved ones in the tragic incident.
On this occasion, the prime minister reassured the community that there will be a swift implementation of the demands they had put forth. Each victim’s family had been paid Rs2.5 million by the government as compensation, while PM Imran reiterated that the Hazara community will not face parallel issues in the future.
PM’s suggestion that the Hazara community was blackmailing him was also brought up in the meeting, as participants registered their protest over the PM’s words however, PM Imran clarified that his words were directed towards the PDM.
PM Imran said that since March 2020, the law enforcement agencies had informed the government that India wanted to spread disorder in Pakistan by killing Shia and Sunni clerics. Appreciating the Inter-Services Intelligence, he said they managed to preempt three or four plots to kill Shia or Sunni ulema.
The prime minister further said when the incident first occurred, he sent Interior Minister to meet with the bereaved to guarantee them that the government will stand with them and will provide support in all issues.
“I also had to send a message to the bereaved family and the community that we will chase those responsible for the incident,” he said, adding that he was in regular contact with the intelligence agencies in this regard.
“There were 35 to 40 people spreading anarchy in the country. We have a whole program prepared in this regard and a security forces cell is being made which will look at providing you with protection and pursuing those responsible,” he said.
He assured the Hazara community that the government and the whole nation stands with them. “I want to make it clear though, that I was fully informed of the situation and was in touch with my federal ministers and security agencies,” he said.
He was following this and looking at all developments,” he said, adding that the entire country also witnessed the pain and suffering of the community. He added that his mission was to not just unite the people of the country but also those across the Muslim world.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan has chaired a high-level meeting to review the law and order situation in Balochistan where he was briefed on the overall law and order situation of the province.
The meeting was attended by Balochistan governor, chief minister, interior minister Sheikh Rasheed, federal ministers Ali Amin Gandapur, Ali Zaidi, special assistant Zulfiqar Bukhari. Commander Southern Command, Inspector General Frontier Corps (IG-FC), and Balochistan home minister.
Funeral prayers for the coal miners were offered earlier today after the deadlock between the government and the protesters came to an end a few hours ago. The prayers were led by Allama Raja Nasir Abbas in Quetta’s Hazara Town with close to 5,000 people attending including the relatives and friends of the deceased and local residents of the area.
The protestors had earlier refused to bury the deceased unless the prime minister visited and addressed their concerns but even eventually agreed to bury the deceased after successful negotiations with a government tea Balochistan CM Jam Kamal had announced yesterday that the premier will reach Quetta after the burials of the miners.
