Citizens join funeral prayers, honor the martyred police and express solidarity with their families
After the funeral, the bodies of the martyrs were sent to their native towns, where they were laid to rest with full official honours. PHOTO: SYED ALI SHAH
QUETTA:
Thousands of mourners gathered at the Ayub Stadium in Quetta on Saturday to witness the collective funeral prayers of the police personnel martyred in the recent Ziarat terror attack as political leaders, government officials and members of the public paid tribute to their sacrifices in the line of duty.
The funeral prayers, which were held at the Ayub Stadium football ground, were attended by National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, MNA Khushal Khan Kakar, Senator Manzoor Khan Kakar, Balochistan Interior Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove, Provincial Ministers Mir Asim Kurd Gello and Bakht Muham General Secretariat, Muhammad Kakar, National Party General Secretary Mir Ahmad Shamed Kakar. BNP Leader Sajid Tareen, ANP Balochistan President Asghar Khan Achakzai, PTI Balochistan President Daud Shah Kakar, Hazara Democratic Party Leader Qadir Ali Nael, BNP Leader Mir Akhtar Hussain Langove, Quetta Commissioner Shahezeb Kakar, Malik Majid Kakar and leaders and workers of various political parties.
Read more: Breakthrough deal ends Ziarat sit-in
A large number of citizens also attended the funeral prayers, expressed solidarity with the bereaved families and prayed for the martyrs. Participants paid tribute to fallen police personnel for their courage and sacrifice while performing their duties to protect the public.
After the funeral, the bodies of the martyrs were sent to their native towns, where they were laid to rest with full official honours.
Earlier, the bodies had been moved from the demonstration site at Coal Phatak in Quetta to Ayub Stadium after a sit-in by the families of the slain policemen ended following successful negotiations with the Balochistan government and representatives of political parties.
The agreement brought an end to the days-long protest that had been staged in response to the terror attack in Ziarat’s Mangi area.
The Ziarat attack, in which several policemen embraced martyrdom, sparked widespread condemnation across Pakistan. Political leaders renewed calls to bring those responsible to justice and intensify efforts to eradicate terrorism in Balochistan, while reaffirming support for the martyrs’ families.
