PESHAWAR: People continued sit-ins and held protest rallies in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday to show solidarity with the families of the victims of a massacre in Mach area of Balochistan.

They demanded justice for the 11 innocent miners and early arrest of their killers.

In Peshawar, people observed a sit-in outside the Peshawar Press Club while a rally was taken out at Qissa Khwani Bazaar. Holding banners and placards the protesters demanded arrest of the killers. They condemned the government for its failure to ensure protection to the citizens and vowed to continue the sit-ins till burial of the slain mine workers.

Members of civil society organisations and National Party (NP) held a joint demonstration to express solidarity with the families of victims of Hazara community. The protesters were led by Dr Sarfaraz Khan and Taimur Kamal.

ANP, others ask PM to visit Quetta and console families of massacre victims

They expressed serious concern over growing terrorist incidents and urged the government to implement the National Action Plan (NAP) in real sense. Dr Sarfaraz said that Imran Khan should visit Quetta at least to console the people.

Also in the day, Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali Khan criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for refusing to visit Quetta to assuage the grievances of Hazara community and urged him to avoid any delay so the people would bury the bodies of their loved ones.

In a statement here, he said that being head of the government Imran Khan should not use words like ‘blackmailing’, adding that such attitude was condemnable.

“It is duty of the government to ensure protection to the lives, properties and honour of citizens or step down,” the ANP leader said. He said the NAP had been thrown into dustbin otherwise such tragic incidents would not have recurred.

In Dera Ismail Khan, the protesters observed a sit-in on the call of Shia Council (local chapter) on the third consecutive day. After the Friday prayers, the protesters held demonstration outside Kotli Imam Hussain to express solidarity with the Hazara community.

In Parachinar, the people continued the sit-in and held a rally after the Friday prayers. The protestors vowed they would continue the sit-in till acceptance of demands of heirs of mine workers brutally killed in Mach.

In Shangla, coal miners’ families expressed concern for their loved ones working in Mach area after the brutal killing of 11 miners there.

A number of people, including Noor Khan of Pirabad, Rasheed Khan of Basi and others, said the tragic incident in Mach had caused serious unrest among families of all coal miners belonging to different areas.

In Kohat, Imamia Ulema Council chairman Allama Syed Qaiser Abbas and Shia Ulema Council provincial president Hameed Hussain Imami criticised the government for not taking measures for the protection of vulnerable Hazara community in Balochistan.

Talking to mediapersons, they said the Hazara community had been suffering for years, but no measures had been adopted for their security.

In Lakki Marwat city, members of Shia community held a demonstration at Qazi Ishfaq Chowk to protest the Mach killings. The protesters raised anti-government slogans and demanded arrest of the killers.

In Gilgit, demonstrations were held across Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday to show solidarity with families of the victims of Mach tragedy.

Shutter down strike was observed in Skardu while sit-in Danyor Gilgit continued for the second consecutive day.

The protesters took to streets in various areas of Skardu, Shigar, Ghanche, Kharmang, Nagar, Gilgit, Hunza and Astore after Friday prayers. They also blocked main roads, including KKH, for several hours and demanded justice for families of the Hazara victims.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2021