April 12, 2010: Families of slain protesters from Hazara demand justice

Say they will stage sit-in outside the K-P Assembly if an FIR is not registered

ABBOTABAD:

Families of martyred and injured workers of Tehreek-e-Suba Hazara (TSH) have threatened to stage a sit-in outside the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly if the government does not register an FIR of the case, said TSH leader Ziaur Rehman Awan on Thursday.

Speaking to journalists, Rehman said seven peaceful protesters lost their lives while over 200 others were injured on April 12, 2010 when the police opened fire on them for demonstrating against the changed name of the province.

He accused the then Awami National Party-led government of dealing with protesters as if they were hardened criminals.

“The people of Hazara opposed renaming the province as they declared it as an instrument for ethnic division,” said Rehman. He added some local leaders who joined the movement at later stages reaped political benefits and became federal and provincial cabinet members, but those who rendered sacrifices were ignored completely. “The delay in the registration of FIR of the seven murders even after four and a half years is evidence of this fact.”

He said the promises of MPAs and MNAs of taking the culprits to task have remained mere lip service, with affected families still running from pillar to post for justice.

He said they were now left with no option but to protest. Rehman warned if the FIR was not registered within a week, they will stage a sit-in outside the K-P Assembly in which children will also participate.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2014.