Army Chief meeting with Shia Hazara notables in Quetta remains successful

Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday met with the elders of the Shia Hazara community in Quetta and a news channel reported that talks between the two sides were fruitful and reports had it that ongoing sit-in protest is likely to be called-of.

Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday met with the elders of the Shia Hazara community in Quetta and a news channel reported that talks between the two sides were fruitful and reports had it that ongoing sit-in protest is likely to be called-of.

Inter-Services Public Relations head Major General Asif Ghafoor confirmed the meeting was held in Quetta in which he (Director General of ISPR), Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, and Balochistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti represented their respective institutions of the state and government. 

Latest report had it General Bajwa presided over a security meeting which was also attended by members of Shia community and Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Balochistan governor and chief minister, and senior military officials. 

It was the demand of Shia community that they would end sit-in protest only after army chief visits Quetta and meets heirs of Shia martyrs to sort out their genuine grievances and demands. Shia Muslims were staging sit-in at various places to register against Shia genocide including recent targeted murders of Hazara Shia Muslims in Quetta.