Shia leaders support decision to end Hazara Town sit-in

Karachi
Eminent and senior Shia scholars and leaders have announced their all-out support for the Shia leadership and their decision to call off the sit-in over the Hazara Town tragedy.
More than 40 scholars and prayer leaders spoke at a joint press conference and issued a joint communiqué at the Karachi Press Club on Friday.
Those present at the press conference included: Allama Mirza Yousuf Hussain of the All Pakistan Shia Action Committee, Allama Shahenshah Naqvi of Shia Ulema Council, Maulana Sadiq Taqvi of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, Maulana Ghulam Ali Waziri, Maulana Baqar Abbas Zaidi and Maulana Haider Abbas Abidi,
They appreciated the dynamic leadership of Shia scholars and endorsed their decision to call off the sit-in protest, saying it was a right and justified decision since the government had accepted all of their 20 demands with minor amendments in only three demands.
According to the communiqué, a three-member committee was formed to coordinate with the government and oversee the implementation of the demands. The committee comprised Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara, Sardar Qayoom Changezi and Ms Ruqayya Hashmi.
The Shia leadership, heirs and relatives of the martyrs of the Hazara Town tragedy and the Quetta Yakjehti Council jointly put up 20 demands that included launching a targeted operation against terrorists in Quetta and around Quetta; taking stern action against the leaders of outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba (now working under the new name of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat), releasing all the innocent Shiites and Hazara Shia Muslims; paying immediate compensation amount to the heirs of the martyrs of previous tragedies and to the heirs of the martyrs of Hazara Town tragedy as well as to the injured and those who suffered colossal financial losses in the twin blasts; withdrawing false cases registered against Shia notables in the wake of al-Quds Day and other events; ensuring foolproof security for the protection of Shias and bringing to an end the biased attitude towards Hazara and non-Hazara Shia Muslims, students, traders and government employees in Quetta and other areas of Balochistan; lodging cases against the outlawed terrorist groups who claim responsibility for the massacre of Shia Muslims and the leaders who give statements in their favour; arresting and interrogating the ministers of former Balochistan government who were involved in or patronized terrorism as named in Balochistan Assembly and at other forums; issuing arms licenses under easy procedure for the self-protection of Shias; removing anti-Shia graffiti and awarding punishment to those who write such graffiti; upgrading Benazir Bhutto Hospital; recruiting 5,000 Shias in security forces in Quetta; providing government jobs to each heir of the martyrs, paying at least Rs2 million compensation to the injured victims, allotting a free plot of 200 square yards to each martyr’s family; providing free education up to graduation level to the children of the martyrs; and establishing girls and boys colleges in Hazara Town.
The Shia leaders said that all of these demands were accepted as being legitimate ones. However, the Governor Balochistan said that plots would be allotted in Jhal Magsi, 1,000 Shia youths will be recruited in the forces and Rs1 million will be paid as compensatory amount. They said that these were minor changes to only three of their demands, adding that the targeted operations had been launched forthwith and many terrorists were killed and arrested.