Machh massacre: Slain coal miners buried in Hazara graveyard

QUETTA: Mourners have buried slain coal miners of Machh massacre in Quetta’s Hazara Town graveyard after offering the funeral prayers, ARY News reported on Saturday.

After offering the funeral prayers of the Machh victims, the slain coal miners were buried in Quetta’s Hazara Town graveyard by the mourners.

Hundreds of people gathered to offer the funeral prayers at the local graveyard after the bodies were shifted from Wali Asar imam bargah. The funeral prayers were also attended by Balochistan ministers, deputy speaker Qasim Suri, PM’s aide Zulfiqar Bukhari and federal minister Ali Zaidi are also present.

Deputy Commission said in a statement that the Afghan citizens among the slain coal miners will also be buried in Quetta as well. The commission added that relatives of the Hazara victims agreed to bury them in Quetta, whereas, Afghan consulate has been informed about the development.

Earlier, negotiations between the government team and protestors staging a sit-in in Quetta against the killing of 11 coal miners had succeeded on Friday night.

Following the agreement from both sides, the protestors had called off sit-ins yesterday.

Making an announcement on behalf of the sit-in committee, it had been conveyed to the protestors that the relatives of the coal miners who were massacred brutally have agreed to bury their loved ones.

The committee had thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan, members of the cabinet, Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal for agreeing to their demands. “We have decided to bury our loved ones,” said a member of the committee.

Read: Balochistan govt announces Rs2 mn reward for identifying Machh killers

Announcing the agreement signed by both sides, he said that a special commission would be formed under the chair of the provincial home minister.

“Strict action will be taken against officials found responsible of negligence,” he said adding that the commission would include two members of the provincial assembly, a DIG rank official and two representatives from families of the Machh martyrs.

The Balochistan government would provide a compensation of Rs1.5 million to the families of each slain coal miners.

The TORs of the agreement is also revealed, which included the special commission would probe attacks on the Hazara community during the past 22 years besides also investigating the missing persons in the community.

A new security plan will be enforced after a review by the security forces and the Balochistan government.

The passport and other related issues would be resolved on a priority basis for the Hazara community by DG NADRA while the government would also create employment opportunities for the members of the community.

At least 11 coal miners had been brutally killed after being kidnapped by armed men in Machh shooting incident on January 3.