QUETTA: The leaders and representatives of the Hazara community said they were giving assurances to disperse the sit-ins in various areas in and around the city after coming to an agreement following Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s Tuesday visit, Geo News reported, citing the spokesperson for the military’s media wing.
After arriving in Quetta, Gen Bajwa met with the Hazara leaders Tuesday night here in the city. Representatives of the protesters comprised provincial Law Minister Syed Muhammad Agha Raza, religious scholars Allamas Juma Asadi and Hashim Mousavi, former National Assembly member Syed Nasir Ali Shah, Qayyum Changezi, and Dawood Agha.
The Hazara leaders informed the COAS and his team of their reservations on the target killings in Quetta, according to Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the Army spokesperson and director-general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The Army chief, while observing and analysing the security situation in Quetta, offered condolences and Fateha prayers for the deceased during the meeting to end the sit-ins, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said.
Gen Bajwa also assuresd the Hazara community that “those who have targeted them shall suffer twice as much”, a press release issued by the ISPR last night said. He stressed this while noting that nothing could compensate losing dear ones.
“Through a unified national effort, we have turned the tide of terrorism,” the Army chief said. “We have busted many terrorists’ networks and we know how these networks are being supported by hostile agencies.”
“However, a lot is still being done against inimical designs to reverse the gains by exploiting various fault lines.”
Gen Bajwa underscored that all Pakistani people should stay united regardless of which area, religion or caste they belong to.
“Every Pakistani irrespective of religion, sect, language or caste has to stay steadfast and united to defeat hostile forces trying to create divisions.
“Chief of Army Staff said that we shall defeat hostile attempts through national cohesion. Anything and everything which is for the betterment of security of people of Pakistan shall be done.”
The Army chief expressed his hope that youth in Balochistan would “stay focused on their positive endeavors towards self and nation-building, trust, and [assisting the leadership] in taking Pakistan forward to its rightful destination”.
Gen Bajwa was accompanied by Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa and Minister of Interior Ahsan Iqbal, as well as Balochistan’s chief and home ministers Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and Sarfraz Bugti, respectively.
On Monday night, Iqbal had visited a protest camp set up outside the Balochistan Assembly. He had held talks with Raza who was leading the protest against unabated killings of members of the Hazara community.
The protesters, however, had then refused to end their protest until the Army chief visited them.
Gen Bajwa would receive an update on the security situation in the city, the military’s media wing said.
