Hazaras end sit-in, to bury slain today
QUETTA –Majalis Wahdat-e-Muslieem (MWM) General Secretary Alama Ameen Shaheedi called off sit-in of Hazara community and said the dead bodies of Hazara town incident would be buried at 9am Wednesday (today).
Addressing a press conference flanked by heirs of victims of Hazara community late Tuesday night, he said that earlier they announced end of sit-in which was opposed by some youngsters. However, he said that the heirs of victims have now accepted their announcement wholeheartedly and the victims would be buried.
He said that they are standing by the families of the victims, adding that they would not allow anybody to do politics and divert this movement.
To a question, he said that the army was refusing to enter the city and carry out a targeted operation. He said that protests in some parts of the country were still underway and they would call them to end it.
On the occasion, the relatives of victims said that they were agreed with decision made by MWM. However, they stressed that their demands should be accepted.
Hazara community earlier refused to end sit-in and burry the victims, saying they wanted army to be deployed in the city.
Earlier, the MWM and Quetta Yekjehti Council (QYC) had announced to call off countrywide protests against Hazara town suicide blast.
This announcement was made by MWM leader Allama Amin Shaheedi and head of Hazara tribe Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara on Tuesday night after holding negotiations with a delegation of the Federal government.
It may be recalled here that Hazara community had begun sit-in protest along with coffins of victims who were killed in bomb blast at Hazara town Kirani Road. More than 90 people, including women and children were killed and over 200 were wounded.
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, in order to persuade the protesters, formed a six-remember special committee headed by Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira which visited Quetta on Tuesday.
Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik who was in Iran also reached Quetta from Iran. The delegation comprised Qamar Zaman Kaira, PPP MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, PPP MNA Nadeem Afzal Chan, PPP Senator Sughra Imam, PPP MNA Yasmeen Rehman and Federal Minister for Political Affairs Maula Bakhsh Chandio.
The members of committee met Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and thoroughly discussed the law and order situation in the province. Besides, Governor Balochistan, Federal Miniser Mir Changez Jamali, Chief Secretary Balochistan and other officials after deliberating on law and order visited the blast site.
They later met with leaders of QYC Abdul Qayyum Changezai, Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara and other religious Shia scholars and persuaded them to end their sit-in.
After a detailed meeting Allama Amin Shaheedi told media persons that during the meeting they had been assured that all-out efforts would be made for elimination of terrorism.
Hazaras end sit-in, to bury slain today | The Nation