Victims’ families agree to bury Hazara martyrs

ISLAMABAD: The Shuhda Action Committee and the federal and provincial governments reached an agreement on Friday night, after which the families of Hazara martyrs agreed to bury their loved ones.
Moreover, according to sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to fly to Quetta as per his commitment where he will meet the martyrs’ families.
The announcement in this regard was made in Quetta after Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan and federal ministers Syed Ali Zaidi and Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bokhari reached the protest camp and held talks with the mourners.
Though the agreement paved way for the burial of martyrs, a decree by a senior religious authority of Iran, Naser Makarem Shirazi, had played a key role in convincing the martyrs’ families to bury their dead in line with their religious obligations.
Later, the martyrs committee expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Imran Khan and chief minister for yielding to the demand of the martyrs’ families and said that an agreement was formally signed between the two sides.
Zaidi also addressed a press conference and endorsed the agreement reached between the two sides. He said that the demands of the victims’ families had been accepted and the government would adopt a long-term strategy to prevent targeted killings of the Hazara community.
He also said that injustice meted out to the persecuted communities needs to end and improvement in governance needs to be ensured. He added that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was making efforts to improve governance but there were elements who had destabilised Pakistan during the past 70 years.
Regretting delays in the agreement, Zaidi said that the responsibility has been fixed over security officers and they have been sacked. Moreover, he said, a joint investigation team (JIT) has been formed under Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Lango to probe the terrorist attack. He further said that two members of the martyrs committee would also be part of the JIT.
The minister also announced employment opportunities for the victims’ families in the provincial government. He added that special jobs and funds would be allocated for the victims’ families from his own ministry.
The chief minister and members of the martyrs committee also addressed the press conference.