Members of the Shia Hazara community, protesting against the Hazarganji suicide bombing, ended their sit-in late on Monday night after receiving assurances from Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Alyani and State Minister for Interior, Sheharyar Afridi.
A prominent representative present at the press conference asked the Federal Interior Minister, Shehrya Khan Afridi, “Where is Imran Khan” as he finished his speech at the press conference. He gave the example of the New Zealand prime minister who tended to the aggrieved right after a terror attack and asked, why could the Pakistani prime Minister not do the same?
As a reply, the interior minister claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan had spoken to the former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, (although he died in 2017).
Despite rainfall, members of the Hazara community continued their sit-in on Quetta’s Western Bypass, which links the city with highways. Women and children are also part of the sit-in demanding action against the perpetrators of Hazara killings.
State Minister for Interior Sheharyar Afridi arrived in Quetta on Monday to review the security situation. He was accompanied by Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Zulfiqar Bukhari.
Afridi visited the Imam Bargah located in Hazara town to condole with the bereaved family members. Speaking on the occasion, he said attempts are being made to spread anarchy in the country. “There is no doubt that the Hazara community has been subjected to severe cruelty. We are standing shoulder-by-shoulder with you in every difficulty and trial,” he said. “The state will take action against those responsible for the Hazarganji attack,” he asserted. “The state will take every possible step for the elimination of terrorism as it is taking measures to protect all the borders,” he added.
“Federal government stands with the Hazara community and concrete steps will be taken to end the crimes against them. The federal government will play its role in making sure that these heinous crimes end. I stand with the community and I assure you that the government has been working to ensure that such crimes end. That is why this was the first such incident to occur over the span of nine months. The question is, who is it that wants to create these differences between Pakistanis? Who wants to create a situation of conflict within Pakistan?” he said.
I am saying these things and asking these questions because Pakistan’s enemies want that this country be added to the [Financial Action Task Force] blacklist. They want that at every level, including the economic level, such blows be dealt that Pakistan – God forbid – breaks apart,” he said. “I request the Hazara community to not doubt our intentions. The state will respect each and every native of Balochistan,” he added.
Shehryar Afridi, meanwhile, called on Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Jam Kamal Khan to discuss ensuring protection of people after the tragedy which left over 20 dead. He expressed deep sorrow over the death of people in Hazarganji blast and said provincial and federal government stand with families of the deceased in this difficult time and measures are underway to arrest those involved in the tragic incident. The chief minister informed Afridi about investigation into the explosion in detail.
“We want justice,” Kashif Hussain, one of the protesters, told a private TV channel, as others chanted slogans asking for an end to terrorism and to the Hazara killings. “Prime Minister Imran Khan should come and console us,” Muhammad Raza, another participant of the sit-in, said. “This time the government should go beyond words and do something practical for our protection,” he added.