ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday, while assuring the protesting Hazara community members of his condolatory visit “soon”, requested them to bury the bodies of their loved ones.
“I will never betray my people’s trust. Please bury your loved ones so their souls find peace,” the prime minister said on Twitter as the grieved families of 11 coal miners killed in Mach area of Balochistan, were on protest refusing to bury their bodies.
“I share your pain,” Imran Khan said, recalling that he had visited them in the past as well to stand with them in their time of suffering.
The prime minister was referring to his visit of Balochistan in 2012 when the Hazara community members were protesting the killing of their members in multiple incidents in the year, when he was not even in the parliamentary opposition. “I will come again very soon to offer prayers and condole with all the families personally,” he remarked.
He assured the Hazara families that he was cognizant of their sufferings and their demands. The government was taking steps to prevent such attacks in the future knowing that “our neighbour is instigating this sectarian terrorism,” the prime minister said referring to Indian intervention and sponsoring of terror activities in Pakistan, particularly the Balochistan province – an emerging hub of trade and investment owing to Gwadar Port and China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who visited the victim families on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s directive on Monday, had announced Rs 2.5 million each for slain coal mine workers’ families.
The compensation would comprise Rs 1 million from the prime minister and Rs 1.5 million from the provincial government.
Later, another high level delegation including Federal Minister Ali Haider Zaidi, Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri, PM's Special Assistant Zulfiqar Bukhari and Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan also met the protestors and assured them of the government’s all-out support for their protection and arrest of the killers.
However, they could not convince them to call of the protest, who had linked it with the visit of the prime minister to assure them the arrest of the culprits.
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