Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Saturday said that the provincial government formed a judicial commission to investigate the deadly Ziarat attack, which claimed the lives of 35 people, including police personnel.
The Balochistan chief executive confirmed the development during a meeting with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who said that dialogue remained the only solution to the province’s political issues.
The meeting was held at Zardari House in Islamabad, where the chief minister apprised Bilawal of the administrative and political developments in Balochistan, according to a statement.
The Balochistan chief minister said that he had played a full role in consoling the bereaved families of the Ziarat attack and addressing their demands.
CM Bugti’s remarks came after the Balochistan government struck an overnight deal with the protest committee, which had organised a province-wide shutter-down strike over the deadly attacks in Ziarat and Hanna Urak.
The protest committee ended its Quetta sit-in after striking a deal with the provincial government to meet the martyrs’ families’ demands and promote peace and stability in the province.
It was agreed that a joint meeting of the opposition parties and the families of martyrs will be held on the law and order situation under the chairmanship of the Balochistan chief minister. The capacity, manpower and professionalism of the police force in the urban areas of Balochistan will be further increased.
It was also decided that the deceased will be declared martyrs under the prevailing policy, and support of relatives, children’s education, and compensation will be provided according to the policy.
To pay homage to the supreme sacrifices of the martyrs, various government buildings will be named after them.
A committee will be formed under the chairmanship of the revenue minister to address the public concerns related to revenue, which will include government officials and people of the area.
Meanwhile, CM Bugti said that an all-parties conference would soon be convened in Balochistan, adding that political parties outside parliament would also be invited to participate.
Paying tribute to the sacrifices of the army, Frontier Corps and police personnel, the PPP chief said: “I can feel the pain of the families of those martyred in the recent tragedies.”
He added that CM Bugti had played a positive role in supporting the bereaved families and advancing the dialogue process.
Bilawal said that his party believed in engaging with all political forces, whether they were in government or in the opposition.
He also reaffirmed the country’s resolve against terrorism, saying the nation stood like a wall of steel against militancy.
Meanwhile, the Balochistan government started immediate implementation of the agreement’s provisions.
As a “token of acknowledgement of the invaluable sacrifices” of the martyred policemen, it was decided to rename Koila Phatak Chowk as Shuhada-i-Ziarat Chowk with immediate effect, according to a notification dated July 17.
Similarly, it was decided to rename government buildings, police stations, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities in the Ziarat district after the martyrs, who laid down their lives while performing their duty in the fight against terrorism.