Machh massacre: Mourners agree to end sit-in, bury slain coal miners
By Web Deskupdated : 2 months ago
QUETTA: 09, JANUARY, 2021: Hazara community members along with the heirs of slain coal miners, who were gunned down in Mach area of Kachi district on Sunday agreed to call off their sit-in at at Quetta's Western Bypass and announced the burial of the martyrs after successful negotiations on late Friday night with the Government Committee headed by the Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan.
The government committee consisting of Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Suri, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Zulfi Bukhari.
Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi announced the decisions taken at the meeting in which all demands of the Hazara community have been met and said the incident was not only tragic for one community but in fact shocked the entire nation, regardless of their sect and religion.
He said for the progress of the country, it was vital that all communities live together with peace and harmony, so as to foil the designs of the enemies who want to create chaos.
Ali Zaidi said officials responsible for the security lapse have already been suspended, and a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed to probe the incident adding that the government has also directed law enforcement agencies to review their security plans.
"Strict action will be taken against officials found responsible of negligence."
He added that the commission would include two members of the provincial assembly, a DIG rank official and two representatives from families of the Machh martyrs.
The Balochistan government would provide a compensation of Rs1.5 million to the families of each slain coal miners.
A day earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan extended his full support to the Hazara community and again assured the provision of necessary security. He asked them to bury the dead, who were killed in a terrorist attack in Machh.
Other than that, Balochistan CM Jam Kamal thanked the bereaved families for accepting their request for the burial of slain miners. He further said the Prime Minister and the Chief of Army Staff would be visiting Quetta to review the law and order situation and meet the affected people.
Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said all demands of the protesters have been accepted by the government and the committee has agreed to call off the sit-in.
It is pertinent to mention here that, the Hazara community had staged a sit-in, along with the families and relatives of the slain coal miners at Quetta Western Bypass for the past six days.
They refused to bury them till the Prime Minister personally assured them security and met their demands.
Let it be known that unidentified armed assailants kill coal miners to nearby mountains in Mach. After news of the brutal incident broke, security agencies arrived at the coal mine, cordoned off the area and collected evidence. Four persons sustained injuries in the shooting incident, were shifted to hospital for medical treatment in critical condition.
Moazzam Ali Jatoi, an official with the Levies Force which serves as police and paramilitary in the area, said the attack took place early on Sunday near the Mach coalfield, about 48km (30 miles) east of the provincial capital, Quetta. Jatoi said armed men took the coal miners to nearby mountains where they opened fire on them.He said six miners died on the spot and five others were critically wounded and died on the way to hospital.
Jatoi said an initial investigation revealed the attackers identified the miners as belonging to the Hazara Shia community and took them away for execution, leaving others unharmed. (04)
Machh massacre: Mourners agree to end sit-in, bury slain coal miners
By Web Deskupdated : 2 months ago
QUETTA: 09, JANUARY, 2021: Hazara community members along with the heirs of slain coal miners, who were gunned down in Mach area of Kachi district on Sunday agreed to call off their sit-in at at Quetta's Western Bypass and announced the burial of the martyrs after successful negotiations on late Friday night with the Government Committee headed by the Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan.
The government committee consisting of Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Suri, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Zulfi Bukhari.
Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi announced the decisions taken at the meeting in which all demands of the Hazara community have been met and said the incident was not only tragic for one community but in fact shocked the entire nation, regardless of their sect and religion.
He said for the progress of the country, it was vital that all communities live together with peace and harmony, so as to foil the designs of the enemies who want to create chaos.
Ali Zaidi said officials responsible for the security lapse have already been suspended, and a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed to probe the incident adding that the government has also directed law enforcement agencies to review their security plans.
"Strict action will be taken against officials found responsible of negligence."
He added that the commission would include two members of the provincial assembly, a DIG rank official and two representatives from families of the Machh martyrs.
The Balochistan government would provide a compensation of Rs1.5 million to the families of each slain coal miners.
A day earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan extended his full support to the Hazara community and again assured the provision of necessary security. He asked them to bury the dead, who were killed in a terrorist attack in Machh.
Other than that, Balochistan CM Jam Kamal thanked the bereaved families for accepting their request for the burial of slain miners. He further said the Prime Minister and the Chief of Army Staff would be visiting Quetta to review the law and order situation and meet the affected people.
Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said all demands of the protesters have been accepted by the government and the committee has agreed to call off the sit-in.
It is pertinent to mention here that, the Hazara community had staged a sit-in, along with the families and relatives of the slain coal miners at Quetta Western Bypass for the past six days.
They refused to bury them till the Prime Minister personally assured them security and met their demands.
Let it be known that unidentified armed assailants kill coal miners to nearby mountains in Mach. After news of the brutal incident broke, security agencies arrived at the coal mine, cordoned off the area and collected evidence. Four persons sustained injuries in the shooting incident, were shifted to hospital for medical treatment in critical condition.
Moazzam Ali Jatoi, an official with the Levies Force which serves as police and paramilitary in the area, said the attack took place early on Sunday near the Mach coalfield, about 48km (30 miles) east of the provincial capital, Quetta. Jatoi said armed men took the coal miners to nearby mountains where they opened fire on them.He said six miners died on the spot and five others were critically wounded and died on the way to hospital.
Jatoi said an initial investigation revealed the attackers identified the miners as belonging to the Hazara Shia community and took them away for execution, leaving others unharmed. (04)
