ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said he will only fly to Quetta to meet Hazara protesters after they bury the bodies of 10 coalminers who were killed in a targeted attack on January 3. He claims he will not be ‘blackmailed’ by them.
In Quetta, the families of the victims and other Hazara people have blocked the Western Bypass. They have been protesting with the bodies for six days and have vowed not to leave unless Prime Minister Khan meets them in person, ensures the safety of Hazaras, and promises to arrest the perpetrators.
“We can’t do this if you set a condition for the burial of the dead,” he remarked while addressing the launch of the Special Technology Zones Authority in Islamabad on Friday.
“If you bury them today, then I will take a plane and come to meet you today”, Imran Khan said, adding that he sent three members of his cabinet to meet the protesters to assure them that the state will take care of them and compensate them for the loss of their loved ones.
The success of their visit can be measured by the outrage at Zulfi Bukhari’s insensitive words to the protesters where he asked what benefit they would get if PM Khan came to Quetta.
The premier said he is aware of the problems faced by Hazaras. They have been targeted like no other community in Pakistan, he said. “I have seen the fear in their eyes.”
However, despite calls since January 3, the premier has refused to visit the protesting families. Several opposition leaders have visited the protesters, including PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz.
The Machh massacre is part of the conspiracy that I have been speaking about since March, he said. “India is trying to spread sectarian violence in Pakistan.”
