Daily Times

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Ahmad Bugti paid a visit to Shujabad on Thursday to sympathise and express solidarity with the families of seven labourers, who were martyred by gunmen last month in Panjgur, and gave away Rs 1.5 million financial assistance to each of the bereaved families.

Upon his arrival at the local airport, he was received by MNA Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani, among others, and they went straight to Basti Chadhar, the hometown of martyred labourers. Mir Sarfraz Bugti conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and offered Fateha for the departed souls.

Later, while talking to the media, Mir Sarfraz Bugti said some of the attackers had been arrested and remaining would be caught soon. To a question, he said the attackers were not Baloch nationals. “I am Baloch standing in front of you; the Baloch are the people who stand by their traditions.” He said, Abdul Qadir Gilani remained in contact with him since the day the tragic incident took place. It was proposed that Fateha Khwani could be held at Circuit House, but instead he decided to visit the bereaved families at their hometowns. “So, we are the custodians of Baloch traditions,” Sarfraz Bugti said. “They were terrorists who killed Pakistanis and terrorists do not have affiliation with any nationality, tribe or traditions,” he added.

The CM Balochistan said that the provincial government had completed profiling of workers who earn their living in Balochistan and a security mechanism had been derived so that no such incident happens again. Bugti said that Pakistan would progress and people of Balochistan would be part of the effort like all other Pakistanis. He said, all Baloch tribes and political parties condemned the incident and they visited the site and expressed their heartfelt condolences. He said that Baloch people have expressed solidarity with the bereaved families to show they share their pain and suffering. He said, people of Pakistan would turn that pain into unity and strength in fight against terrorism and the fight would meet its logical end when all terrorists will be eliminated.

He announced bearing all educational expenses of children of the martyred workers. He said terrorists, being aided by a neighbouring country’s secret agency, were involved in terrorism and recalled that Chairman Senate Yousuf Raza Gilani, when he was the prime minister, had presented a dossier to the international community carrying proofs.

He said that he wanted to give a message to people that the Balochistan government was fighting the menace of terrorism and promised that efforts to restore peace and order would succeed soon. “We will create an atmosphere that people would visit Balochistan for earning purposes without any fear,” he promised.

MNA Abdul Qadir Gilani thanked the Balochistan chief minister for paying visit to the bereaved families and said that the Baloch people were known for their marvelous traditions of hospitality and they were supporting the provincial government in its fight against terrorism.