Despite Prime Minister Imran Khan’s request to move ahead with the final rites of the slain miners and an assurance that he would visit them “very soon”, Balochistan’s Shia Hazara community continued to protest for a fifth straight day on Thursday, refusing to bury those who were brutally killed over the weekend in the province’s Mach area.
Sources told Dawn that the prime minister has decided to visit Quetta “soon” to express solidarity with the members of the community but the date and time of his visit are “being kept secret due to security concerns”.
On Sunday, armed attackers slit the throats of 11 miners in a residential compound near a mine site in Balochistan’s Mach coalfield area, filming the entire incident and later posting it online. The gruesome attack was claimed by the militant Islamic State group.
Since then, thousands of Hazaras have staged a protest along with coffins containing the miners’ bodies in the western bypass area in Quetta, while members of their community have also held protests in Karachi.
Despite extremely harsh weather as the mercury drops to below freezing point, the mourners, including women and children, have refused to leave until the premier meets them and the killers are brought to justice.
A day earlier, the prime minister, in a series of tweets, said that he was aware of the Shia Hazara community’s “suffering & their demands”, adding that the government was taking steps to prevent such attacks in the future and knew that “our neighbour is instigating this sectarian terrorism.”
“I share your pain and have come to you before also to stand with you in your time of suffering. I will come again very soon to offer prayers and condole with all the families personally,” he said while addressing the mourning Hazaras.
“I will never betray my people’s trust. Please bury your loved ones so their souls find peace,” the prime minister said.
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The families and relatives of ten slain miners, who were shot dead in Mach area of Kachi district on Sunday, continue their sit-in on Quetta’s Western Bypass with dead bodies on third day (Tuesday).
The protesters have announced that their demonstration will continue until Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrival, and dialogue will now only be held with the premier. Women, children and elderly persons are present in the sit-in.
Let it be known that negotiations of the families of the victims remained unsuccessful with Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Monday as the protesters were dissatisfied despite the minister’s assurance of serving justice.
It is pertinent here to mention that some armed men took the coal miners to nearby mountains in Mach and opened fire on them. After news of the incident broke, security agencies arrived at the coal mine, cordoned off the area and collected evidence.
Four persons sustained injuries in the shooting incident. Rescue officials said that the injured were shifted to hospital for medical treatment in critical condition.
