No Governor rule, army control: PM gives FC police powers in Quetta
Prime minister orders immediate steps to improve situation in Quetta. Khursheed Shah rules out imposing governor rule.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf says he will meet with representatives of Hazara community next week. PHOTO: FILE
QUETTA/ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Saturday took serious notice of Balochistan situation and on the request of provincial government, ordered the Frontier Corps (FC) to extend assistance to the civil administration for maintaining law and order with all powers of police.
After a meeting with Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who apprised him of the latest situation in Quetta, the Prime Minister also ordered the immediate dispatch of a C-130 for shifting those injured in the Quetta blast to Karachi for best medical treatment.
Later in the day, the aircraft transferred 15 of the wounded and 16 attendants to Karachi.
Compensation to the tune of Rs1 million each for those who were killed and Rs100,000 for the injured persons were also announced.
The Prime Minister directed provincial and federal law enforcement agencies to work in coordination with the provincial governments. He asked Governor and Chief Secretary Balochistan to keep him updated about the latest situation of Quetta. The provincial government was also directed to leave no stone un-turned in ensuring the safety of the citizens in the province.
Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani was also asked to return from Dubai.
Despite calls from the people in protests across the country, the prime minister said he will meet with a delegation of Quetta’s Hazara community next week to learn more about their grievances and attempt at solving them.
The Prime Minister said that all measures would be taken to safeguard the lives of the citizens and that the Federal Government was ready to provide all assistance to the provincial government of Balochistan to take measures for people’s safety.
Khursheed Shah meets with Quetta protesters
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah on Saturday met with leaders of the Yakjehti Council who have been protesting in Quetta’s streets since Friday. Shah said that elements creating law and order situation in Balochistan would not be spared at any cost and called for collective measures to fight back the mindset furthering their version of Islam in the country.
Talking to reporters, the senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader and religious affairs minister said that no one would be allowed to kill human beings on the name of religion. "Killing human beings is not in the Islam, we are following, it is a mindset which persisted in across the country."
Shah, while dispelling the possibility of Governor rule in Balochistan in wake of recent incidents of violence, said that the prime minister is in contact with the Governor of Balochistan over the law and order situation in the province and has asked the Chief Minister to reach Pakistan without any further delay.
The minister also rebuffed the impression that the army would be involved to arrest the worsening law and order issue in Balochistan, saying delegating of police powers to the Frontier Corps was a message for anti-peace elements that they would now not be spared any more.
Earlier, government delegation comprising Federal minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, provincial ministers including Tahir Mehmood, Maulvi Sarwar, Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad and Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durani held talks with the Yakjehti Council.
The delegation to continue their protest but do so after burying the dead. The Council though declined and called for targeted operations against the perpetrators of the twin blasts, and for imposing Governor rule to maintain peace in the region.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Saturday took serious notice of Balochistan situation and on the request of provincial government, ordered the Frontier Corps (FC) to extend assistance to the civil administration for maintaining law and order with all powers of police.
After a meeting with Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who apprised him of the latest situation in Quetta, the Prime Minister also ordered the immediate dispatch of a C-130 for shifting those injured in the Quetta blast to Karachi for best medical treatment.
Later in the day, the aircraft transferred 15 of the wounded and 16 attendants to Karachi.
Compensation to the tune of Rs1 million each for those who were killed and Rs100,000 for the injured persons were also announced.
The Prime Minister directed provincial and federal law enforcement agencies to work in coordination with the provincial governments. He asked Governor and Chief Secretary Balochistan to keep him updated about the latest situation of Quetta. The provincial government was also directed to leave no stone un-turned in ensuring the safety of the citizens in the province.
Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani was also asked to return from Dubai.
Despite calls from the people in protests across the country, the prime minister said he will meet with a delegation of Quetta’s Hazara community next week to learn more about their grievances and attempt at solving them.
The Prime Minister said that all measures would be taken to safeguard the lives of the citizens and that the Federal Government was ready to provide all assistance to the provincial government of Balochistan to take measures for people’s safety.
Khursheed Shah meets with Quetta protesters
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah on Saturday met with leaders of the Yakjehti Council who have been protesting in Quetta’s streets since Friday. Shah said that elements creating law and order situation in Balochistan would not be spared at any cost and called for collective measures to fight back the mindset furthering their version of Islam in the country.
Talking to reporters, the senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader and religious affairs minister said that no one would be allowed to kill human beings on the name of religion. "Killing human beings is not in the Islam, we are following, it is a mindset which persisted in across the country."
Shah, while dispelling the possibility of Governor rule in Balochistan in wake of recent incidents of violence, said that the prime minister is in contact with the Governor of Balochistan over the law and order situation in the province and has asked the Chief Minister to reach Pakistan without any further delay.
The minister also rebuffed the impression that the army would be involved to arrest the worsening law and order issue in Balochistan, saying delegating of police powers to the Frontier Corps was a message for anti-peace elements that they would now not be spared any more.
Earlier, government delegation comprising Federal minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, provincial ministers including Tahir Mehmood, Maulvi Sarwar, Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad and Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durani held talks with the Yakjehti Council.
The delegation to continue their protest but do so after burying the dead. The Council though declined and called for targeted operations against the perpetrators of the twin blasts, and for imposing Governor rule to maintain peace in the region.