Hazara community sit-in continues in Quetta

QUETTA: Members of the Hazara community continued staging a sit-in for a second day on Saturday at Quetta's Western Bypass to demand better security measures following a blast in Hazarganji market a day earlier.At least, 20 people were martyred and scores injured in a blast believed to be targeting members of the Hazara community in Quetta's Hazarganji market on Friday morning.

Women and children are among those who have been staging a sit-in since shortly after the blast. The protesters demand that the government implements an effective security plan and ensure protection of the Hazara community.

Eight Hazara community members, an FC official and two children were among the dead. At least 48 others, including three security personnel, were injured in the blast, police and provincial authorities said.

Of the injured, 12 are under treatment at BMC Hospital and three are said to be critical. Four others are being treated at Civil Hospital and one is said to be critical. Twenty-six of the 38 injured brought to Bolan Hospital have been discharged.

Meanwhile, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi visited Hazarganji to extend condolences to the families of the victims of Friday's blast.

The minister said the government will fully implement the National Action Plan (NAP) and no terrorist will be spared no matter which organisation they belong to.

"The attack is condemnable and the federation will fully cooperate. We will fully implement NAP and no terrorist will be spared no matter which organisation they belong to," he vowed. "Those who attack people are mentally unstable and I consider those who kill people as suffering from mental illnesses," Zaidi said. The minister affairs continued, "Terrorists have no religion and terrorist attacks also occur in countries where the security situation is better."

"Terrorism can be eliminated through education. We will have to improve the state of health, education and security otherwise development will not be possible," he upheld.

Zaidi further said, "First and foremost we will have to fix the financial model. We will have to make Pakistan an economic state from a security state."

"No government can give results in eight months," he further said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal also visited the protest camp of Hazara community and vowed that terrorists involved in the deadly blast will be brought to book.

Jam Kamal said the provincial government shares the grief of those who lost their loved ones in the blast. He said terrorists were a collective enemy of all, and not just a particular tribe or a province. The chief minister called for bringing a system like ‘safe city project’ Quetta.

Jam Kamal said there was a dire need to fix some security issues in Balochistan, and Quetta in particular. He appealed the demonstrators to end their sit-in and assured them that terrorists involved in the attack would be apprehended. He also met heirs of the deceased and expressed condolences to them.