Imran Khan says Hazara demand for Quetta visit akin to blackmail

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday denounced the members of the ethnic Hazara community for refusing to bury the killed miners until his visit to Quetta.

“The condition that he first visit and then the bodies will be buried by their families is akin to blackmail and is not acceptable,” said PM Imran Khan at the launching ceremony of Special Technology Zones Authority in Islamabad.

Prime Minister Khan again appealed to the Hazara community to bury those killed in the attack in Balochistan’s Mach area.

The prime minister said that the government had assured the protesters that they will be compensated.

“We have accepted all of their demands. [But] one of their demands is that the dead will be buried when the premier visits. I have sent them a message that when all of your demands have been accepted […] you don’t blackmail the prime minister of any country like this,” he demanded.

“If you bury the dead I will visit Quetta today,” added the premier.