President Arif Alvi on Tuesday met with the bereaved families of the victims of the Hazarganji bombing which claimed 20 lives in Quetta on Friday.

Members of the Shia Hazara community, protesting against the Hazarganji suicide bombing, had ended their sit-in late last night after receiving assurances from Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Alyani and State Minister for Interior Sheharyar Afridi.

Condoling with the victims' families, the president offered prayers for the departed souls. According to Radio Pakistan, President Alvi said that "Hazarganji-like conspiracies have failed to create a wedge in our society".

He said that the entire nation stands by the Hazara community in this hour of grief.

Earlier, talking to media persons in Quetta, the president had reaffirmed the government's commitment towards the implementation of the National Action Plan.

He also commended the Balochistan government for announcing a compensation package for the victims of the Hazarganji terrorist attack, many of whom were small traders.

While the president acknowledged that no amount of compensation could match the loss of lives, he hoped the package would address the most immediate problems faced by the bereaved families. He also acknowledged that it was the responsibility of the state to protect the lives of its people and expressed remorse for the incident.

The president said that, despite many challenges, the Pakistani nation stands united.

He also promised that Prime Minister Imran Khan will soon visit Balochistan.

Bilawal Bhutto visits victims' families

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also visited Quetta and offered his condolences to the Hazarganji victims' families.

He said that NAP had been created with the consensus of all political parties and it was the government's job to implement it.

"On one hand they say the government is standing with the victims of the incident, and on the other a video exists where a federal minister is seen giving assurances to murderers and saying that no one will be able to touch them," Bilawal said.

"Till when will have these dual standards, till when will this terrorism continue?" he asked, adding that the victims of terrorism are the ones who need to be mainstreamed, "not terrorists."

“No one can fight extremism alone, but we have to decide for the future. We need to fight this extremist mindset. When we ask for justice, we are called an enemy of the state. When I speak against banned organisations, I’m branded an enemy of the state," Bilawal said while speaking to the media.