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The leaders of Quetta Yakjeti Council (QYC) declared on Friday they would not bury the victims of twin blasts until Army is deployed in the city and the Balochistan Governor fulfilled his responsibilities.Leaders of QYC Abdul Qayyum Changezai, Alama Juma Asadi, Allama Hashim Musavi and others stated this while addressing a joint Press conference.
It may be mentioned here that hundreds of protesters hailing from Hazara community, including women and children have staged a sit-in at Alamdar Road since morning in severe cold and rain along with 82 bodies of the victims.No provincial minister or MPA turned up to meet and negotiate with the protesters and console with them. They said they had no more trust in the provincial government, adding along with media persons several Shias were killed in the deadly blasts.“This is barbarism against Hazara community and we strongly condemn it,” they said, adding everybody knew who was behind all these killings.They said Lashkar-e-Jhangvi had claimed responsibility for the blasts through media but it was surprising that the government was not taking action against the banned outfit. “The rulers have no more right to remain in power,” they said.They said they would only negotiate with Federal government stating they had no more trust in the provincial government thus Quetta should be handed over to the Army.The provincial capital remained shut throughout the day on Friday to mourn the victims of Thursday’s bombings that left nearly 100 people dead, besides wounding 150 others.First bomb blast at Bacha Khan Chowk killed 12 people, including an FC personnel while two suicide blasts took place on Alamdar Road, in a Shia neighbourhood which claimed 82 lives.Baloch United Army claimed responsibility for first blast while the outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi said it was behind the bombings on Alamdar Road. The Balochistan government has announced a-three -day mourning across the province.All major shopping malls and business centres in Quetta remained closed on the shutter down call of the Anjuman-e-Tajiran Balochistan which was also supported by other political and nationalist parties. Traffic was also sparse on roads.Addressing a press conference, Anjuman-e-Tajiran President Abdul Rahim Kakar gave 48-hour ultimatum to the government for arresting the perpetrators.Hundreds of Hazara people blocked Brewery Road and Bacha Khan Chowk by burning tyres and erecting barricades in protests against the killings of their people.Protesters shouted slogans against the government and demanded protection. “We will not bury dead bodies of our beloved ones until Army takes the control of Quetta city,” they demanded.Separately, addressing a press conference, Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) President Abdul Khaliq Hazara said that rulers in Balochistan had lost credibility to rule in the province and they should be supplanted by an interim government.He said ‘violence is like a virus and if not stopped, it would not be limited to Hazara community rather it would hunt down all ethnicities living in the city.He strongly criticised law enforcement agencies for their alleged failure to curb incidents of sectarian killings in which plethora of Hazara people were slain.Three journalists who were died when they went for the coverage of the first bombing on Alamdar Road were buried in Quetta and Karachi.Imran Sheikh and Muhammad Iqbal were buried in Quetta while Saifur Rehman Baloch was laid to rest in Karachi. Journalists observed a ‘black day’ in the province and hoisted black flags on gates and rooftops of the press clubs, besides wearing black bands on the arms.Quetta Press Club President Saleem Shahid strongly condemned the killing of the journalists, calling it a great loss to journalist fraternity of Balochistan. He said that about 30 journalists had been killed in bomb blasts and targeted killings across the province in four years but no attention was being paid to provide safety and protection to them.He said that breaking news norm of channels had put the lives of reporters, cameramen and technicians on stake and several journalists had lost lives during coverage of bomb blasts.Senior journalist Shehzada Zulfiqar said that unabated killings of journalists were being reported in Balochistan but authorities kept mum and did nothing to protect media persons.Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi paid a visit to Combined Military Hospital where he inquired about the health of the injured and strongly condemned the brutality of terrorists.
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