QUETTA:
Representatives of the Hazara community on Saturday sought help form the federal government in bringing back bodies of the victims of the Indonesian boat tragedy.
They also asked the United Nations (UN) to help with the asylum process for survivors of the tragedy.
Speaking at a news conference, former provincial minister Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara said a delegation had been formed which will leave for Indonesia soon to identify the victims belonging to the community.
There is still some confusion over the exact number of people who were on board the boat which capsized off the Indonesian coast on Dec 19.
Sardar Saadat said that around 190 people were on the boat when it capsized.
“Ninety people belonged to Quetta and a majority of them were from the Hazara community,” he said.
Sardar Saadat asked the Indonesian authorities and the UN to not punish the survivors as they were fleeing to Australia because of the deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan and attacks on the Hazara community.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), at least 90 people from Quetta were on board the boat.
As many as 15 families have so far approached the desk set up by PDMA to coordinate with the victims’ families.
“We have information that 102 bodies have been recovered, 27 were rescued while dozens are still missing,” said PDMA Director Tahir Munir, .
He added that most of the bodies were mutilated beyond recognition and the authority had asked the families to provide details to help with the identification process.
Assistant Director Relief, Faisal Naseem said that they have received a list of 35 people from the Hazara community.
However, some names do not carry NIC numbers and other documents.
“The bodies can be identified through DNA tests since all 102 bodies are mutilated,” he told The Express Tribune.
He added that Pashtuns and people from other ethnicities were also traveling on the boat en route to Australia from Indonesia.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2011.
COMMENTS (4)
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Shame on Pakistani govt and the security forces who are not providing any protection to Hazaras but instead committing atrocities on them and thereby forcing them to flee their own motherland. This is a indeed tragic moment and our heartfelt sympathies to this community and RIP to the dead.
we have request that please write the name of the survivors of Indonesia . one of our family member was in that boat . and till now we dont have any news from him
Government should take serious note of this. And take appropriate steps to make sure this doesnt happen again and make sure that an examplary punishment given to those behind this (including security agencies) and other missing persons case in Balochistan.