Machh massacre: PM Imran Khan, COAS Gen Bajwa agree to bring culprits to justice

• PM Imran Khan, General Qamar Javed Bajwa pledge to bring Machh incident perpetrators to justice
• Pakistan army chief calls on PM Imran Khan in Islamabad
• Both condemn “unfortunate Machh incident”

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ISLAMABAD: The culprits behind the Machh massacre will be brought to justice, decided Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the news reported Tuesday.

The army chief called on PM Khan in Islamabad on Monday. Inter-Services Intelligence Director General Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was also present during the meeting which took place at PM Office.

They discussed the national security situation and condemned the “unfortunate Machh incident”, said a brief statement issued by the PM Office.

The continuous human rights violations in Indian Kashmir and the frequent ceasefire violations over the Line of Control also came under discussion.

This is the second meeting between the army chief and PM in a month. They last met on December 24. 2020 to discuss the country’s internal and external security situation.

The Machh massacre

Ten colliers were killed and four others were seriously injured on January 3 after armed men attacked them at a coal field in Balochistan’s Bolan district.

The coal miners, according to police, were taken to nearby mountains where they were shot.

According to AFP, the 10 miners were kidnapped before dawn on Sunday as they slept near the remote coal mine in the southwestern mountainous Machh area — 60 kilometers southeast of Quetta city, local government official Abid Saleem said.

Security officials who did not want to be named told AFP the attackers first separated the miners before tying their hands and feet and taking them into the hills to kill them. Most were shot, however some were beheaded, said officials who did not want to be named.

Officials later clarified ten people had died in the attack, revising a previous death toll of 11, AFP reported.

The militant group Daesh claimed the attack, according to SITE Intelligence, which monitors militant activities worldwide.