Martyred policemen buried in Ziarat attack aftermath as Quetta sit-in ends

Thousands gathered at Quetta's Ayub Stadium for the funeral prayers of police personnel martyred in a terrorist attack in Ziarat. The ceremony followed the end of a 10-day sit-in protest by the victims' relatives, who had been demanding justice and accountability.

The protest concluded after the families reached an agreement with the provincial government late Friday night. Key demands, including the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the Ziarat and Hanna Urak attacks, were accepted by the authorities. These attacks resulted in the deaths of 32 people: 27 policemen in Ziarat and five civilians in Hanna Urak.

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The pol­icemen who were martyred in the Ziarat terrorist attack were buried in their native towns on Saturday after their funeral prayers were offered at Ayub Stadium, Quetta, attended by thousands of people following the culmination of a 10-day-long sit-in by their relatives.

Bodies of the martyred policemen were transported from Shuhada-i-Ziarat Chowk to the stadium in a large procession, attended by politicians, provincial ministers, tribal elders, and the families of the deceased. Strict security measures were in place throughout the event. The fallen officers were later sent to their native towns for burial with state honors.

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The sit-in committee agreed to call off the protest after a Friday-night agreement with the provincial government, in which all of their demands, including the call for a judicial probe, were accepted.

In a move to honor the sacrifices made, the Balochistan government has begun implementing the agreement. Koila Phatak Chowk has been officially renamed Shuhada-i-Ziarat Chowk, a decision effective immediately. Furthermore, government buildings, police stations, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities within the Ziarat district will be renamed after the martyrs who lost their lives fighting terrorism.

The Ziarat attack on July 6 saw 27 policemen killed, with 18 of them executed after being kidnapped. This incident followed an attack in the Hanna Urak Valley the previous day, which claimed the lives of five civilians. Security forces responded with 'Operation Shaban,' a multi-day clearance operation that resulted in the killing of 91 terrorists.

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As a “token of acknowledgement of the invaluable sacrifices” of the martyred policemen, it was decided to rename Koila Phatak Chowk as Shuhada-i-Ziarat Chowk with immediate effect.