Lawyers boycott courts across Balochistan over killing of Machh miners

The Balochistan Bar Council has boycotted courts across the province in protest of the 10 labourers who were kidnapped from a coal mine in Machh and then executed.

The lawyers refused to appear for any court proceedings, including those at the Balochistan High Court.

The worsening security condition of Balochistan and the disruption of peace in the province is only because of the wrong decisions of the PTI government, the lawyers said.

“An amount of Rs450 per tonne of coal is charged in the province for the establishment of peace and security arrangements yet the government fails to prevent attacks as brutal as this,” one of the lawyers said.

This is a huge question mark on the ability of the security forces to protect residents from terrorism, he added.

Eleven labourers from the Hazara community were killed and three injured at a coal mine in Balochistan’s Machh, the police said on Sunday. According to the Levies force, the incident took place late Saturday night near Bolan.

Bolan Deputy Commissioner Murad Kasi revealed that the labourers lived in Hazara Town. The Tehreek-e-Jafaria has condemned the attack calling it a conspiracy by anti-Islamists.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan condemned the attack, ordered an inquiry into the incident and demanded an immediate report from the authorities. He said those responsible for killing the unarmed workers did not deserve any mercy and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Hazaras come out in protest

Following the incident, residents of Hazara Town blocked the Northern Bypass and burnt tyres there. They are out on the roads for 24 hours now chanting anti-government slogans.

They said they won’t move unless justice is served. Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen leader Syed Muhammad Agha Raza has called on Prime Minister Imran Khan to visit Quetta and meet the families of those injured and bereaved.

We received dead bodies with grief and heavy heart this morning. Efforts were made to prevent any untoward situation in Hazara Town while the dead bodies were received. Traffic on Western Bypass has been diverted. Protests at Press Club culminated peacefully. pic.twitter.com/yANFfUiVED

— Deputy Commissioner Quetta (@DcQuetta) January 3, 2021

Hazara Community Protest Continue In Mach #Balochistan.#hazaragenocide #StopHazaraGenocide pic.twitter.com/j8FMrdni2t

— Hameed Mandokhail (@HamidMandokhail) January 3, 2021

The dead will be buried in the Hazara Town Cemetery at 1pm on Monday [today].

The sit-in on the Western bypass will continue and another protest will be staged in front of the Press Club Quetta. This was decided by a meeting of political and religious leaders of the Hazara community and the miners’ family members. They met at the Imambargah Wali Asr in Hazara Town, Quetta, led by Dr Nowruz Ali Gulzari.