Machh incident: Protests, sit-ins by Hazara community cripple routine life in Karachi

(Karachi) Routine life in the city remains crippled as protests in solidarity with the victims of the Machh massacre continued at 20 spots, local media reported on Thursday.

As per details, the Hazara community staged sit-ins at Numaish Chowrangi, Powerhouse Chowrangi, Star Gate, Malir-15, Steel Town Chowrangi, Safora, Safari Park, Abbas Town, Johar Morr, Nipa, Maskan Chowrangii, Nazimabad Chowrangi, Five Star Chowrangi, North Nazimabad, Aisha Manzil, Surjani, and North Nazimabad No.7.

As a result of widespread protests, city life has been badly affected while traffic gridlocks were witnessed on major thoroughfares. While people are being advised to use alternative routes, traffic jams were witnessed in the morning rush hour with citizens scrambling to reach their workplace.

Besides, business activity has also been badly affected as shops and markets remained closed due to protests.

The sit-ins are likely to continue until the main protest being staged by members of the Hazara community on Quetta’s Western Bypass near Hazara Town ends. The Hazara community has been protesting since Sunday when the brutal incident took place.

The protesters have been demanding the arrest of the assailants and visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Earlier in a twitter message, Prime Minister Imran Khan assured the families of Machh massacre victims that he will soon visit Quetta and offer his condolence to them personally.

The premier said: "I want to reassure the Hazara families who lost their loved ones in a brutal terrorist attack in Machh that I am cognizant of their suffering & their demands."

The PM said, "I share your pain & have come to you before also to stand with you in your time of suffering."

Imran pointed out, "I will come again very soon to offer prayers and condole with all the families personally. I will never betray my people's trust." He urged the victims' families to bury their loved ones so their souls find peace.

Protests erupted across the country two days ago when at least 11 coal miners were killed and several others were injured in an armed attack at Balochistan's Machh coal field.

Police said the attack took place near the Machh coal field, about 48 kilometers (30 miles) east of the provincial capital Quetta.

Armed men took the coal miners to nearby mountains, where they opened fire on them. Six of the miners were dead on the spot and five who were critically wounded died on the way to a hospital.

Initial investigation revealed the attackers identified the miners as being from a Shiite Hazara community and the gunmen took them away for execution, leaving others unharmed.