Citizens join funeral prayers, honouring the martyred police and expressing solidarity with their families
Following the funeral, the bodies of the martyrs were dispatched to their native towns, where they were laid to rest with full official honours. PHOTO: SYED ALI SHAH
QUETTA:
Thousands of mourners gathered at Ayub Stadium in Quetta on Saturday to attend the collective funeral prayers of the police personnel martyred in the recent Ziarat terrorist attack, as political leaders, government officials and members of the public paid tribute to their sacrifice in the line of duty.
The funeral prayers, held at the football ground of Ayub Stadium, were attended by Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai, MNA Khushal Khan Kakar, Senator Manzoor Khan Kakar, Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove, Provincial Ministers Mir Asim Kurd Gello and Bakht Muhammad Kakar, National Party Secretary General Mir Kabir Ahmed Muhammad Shahi, 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 participated in the funeral prayers, expressing solidarity with the bereaved families and offering prayers for the martyrs. Participants hailed the fallen police personnel for their courage and sacrifice while performing their duties to protect the public.
Following the funeral, the bodies of the martyrs were dispatched to their native towns, where they were laid to rest with full official honours.
Earlier, the bodies had been moved from the protest 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 terrorist attack in Ziarat’s Mangi area.
The Ziarat attack, in which several police personnel embraced martyrdom, sparked widespread condemnation across Pakistan. Political leaders renewed calls for bringing those responsible to justice and intensifying efforts to eradicate terrorism in Balochistan, while reaffirming support for the families of the martyrs.
