The Balochistan High Court chief justice on Thursday took suo motu notice of the Mastung incident in which 29 Shia pilgrims were killed and seven others injured, as over 200 members of the Hazara community announced that they would not be paying taxes until the culprits of the killings are not arrested.
The CJ took notice of the incident following an appeal by the general public published in local and national press, adding that the incident had spread wide fear in the people and traumatized segments of society. Notices were issued to secretary interior, home secretary, FC inspector general, inspector general police, Kalat commissioner, Mastung deputy commissioner and Levies director general. The hearing will begin on Monday.
In another development, members of the Hazara Shia community announced that they would not pay their taxes or utility bills to the government because it had failed to provide security to the community.
The protesters demanded immediate resignation of Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani. They said that hundreds of innocent people had died in targeted killings but none of the accused has so far been arrested.
Activists of Hazara Students Federation also staged a protest demonstration outside Quetta Press Club.
CCP appalled: The Concerned Citizens of Pakistan (CCP) expressed concern over the killing of 29 Shia pilgrims near Mastung in a press release issued on Thursday.
The gruesome incidence was yet another example of the utter lawlessness and barbarism rampant in the country, the release said, adding that the sectarian militant groups continue to operate without hesitation and have no fear of punishment. CCP also expressed deep sorrow at the loss of precious lives and expressed their sympathy with the families of those who were so heartlessly murdered by extremists. It also appealed to the government to take swift action against those responsible for the atrocity.
