Mach, Islamabad tragic incidents echo in Senate

ISLAMABAD: The tragic incidents of Mach (Balochistan) in which 11 coal miners were brutally assassinated and a student Osama Nadeem Satti who lost his life in Islamabad during police action on Monday echoed in Senate.

Speaking on a point of order, Pakistan Peoples Partly stalwart Sherry Rehman said innocent people of Hazara community were being targeted in Balochistan. She said 11 innocent people of the community were brutally killed in Mach on Sunday and were not buried yet.

She said the government should address the miseries of the Hazara community.

Responding to the point raised by Sherry Rehman, leader of the House Dr Shahzad Waseem said indeed, it was a tragic incident and the government was cognizant of its responsibility.

Strongly condemning the incident, he said the Prime Minister has taken immediate action into the incident and directed the Interior Minister to visit Mach.

He said the government would investigate all aspect of the issue and the culprits involved in this heinous act would be taken to task.

He said the country witnessed surge in terrorist incidents in few days and there were also information about regrouping of such elements. However, he said, designs of all such elements and their supporters would be foiled.

Kabeer Muhammad Shahi of National Party and Usman Kakar of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party also condemned killing of innocent coal minors in Mach.

They said around over 1500 to 2000 people of Hazara community had been killed so far since 2002. However, they alleged that the state institutions have been failed to provide them security.

Javed Abbasi of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz said an innocent student was killed by police in the federal capital. He said an independent investigation into the tragic incident should be carried out.

Speaking in the House the advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan said all officials involved in the killing of the student have already been arrested besides registering murder case against them.

He said judicial inquiry into the incident has also been ordered and representatives of other institutions were also its members.

Regarding Mach incident, the Advisor said the Interior Minister was going to Balcohistan to meet the bereaved families.

Dr Jamal Jahanzeb, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Manzoor Kakar also condemned the tragic incidents and demanded for pragmatic measures to stop re-occurrence of such incidents.

Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla suggested a committee comprising few senators should visit Mach and expressed solidarity with the bereaved families.