Hazara protesters refuse to end Quetta sit-in amid Centre’s assurances

The Newspaper's Staff CorrespondentUpdated April 14, 2019

Family members and relatives chant slogans during a protest on April 13 to condemn the Hazarganji blast. ─ Reuters



QUETTA: Amid tight security, the Hazara community members continued their protest against the Hazarganji blastfor a second consecutive day despite heavy rain in the city and the federal government’s assurance to the affected families of action against militant organisations and effective implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP).

The protesters, who were joined by workers and leaders of the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) on Saturday, blocked the western bypass, which links the provincial capital with main highways, by placing heavy boulders and barricades and burning tyres and set up camps in the area.

At least 19 people, including eight members of the Hazara community, were killed and 48 others were wounded in the suicide blast whose responsibility was claimed by the Qari Husain faction of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan on Friday.
Relatives sit in a Quetta hospital on Saturday near a man who was injured in the suicide attack a day before.—AFP

However, according to Associated Press, the militant Islamic State group in a statement posted on an IS-affiliated website claimed it had targeted the Shia population and the Pakistani army. The group also released a photograph of the bomber along with his name, Agence France-Presse (AFP) added.


Militant Islamic State group claims responsibility for suicide attack, releases bomber’s photo

As the protest against the killings continued, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi arrived in the provincial capital and met the affected families.

Speaking to the media in Hazarganji after offering condolences to the families, the minister said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led government was seriously pursuing the investigations into the suicide attack. He said the federal government claimed full responsibility of protecting its citizens regardless of their caste, creed, religion or province....Continue Reading....