Arifa Siddique Calls for End to State Patronage of Armed Groups at Ziarat Tragedy Protest
QUETTA: Arifa Siddique, provincial secretary for women and human rights of the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party, has called for an end to the alleged state patronage of armed groups while addressing a sit-in held in memory of the victims of the Ziarat tragedy.
Speaking at the protest camp at Coal Phatak on Monday, Arifa Siddique joined hundreds of lawyers in paying tribute to the police personnel who lost their lives. She expressed sympathy with the bereaved families, saying their grief was beyond words.
She assured the victims’ families that the women lawyers of Quetta would stand by them and continue to raise their voices at every legal and constitutional forum to safeguard their rights.
During her address, Siddique also referred to the death of Usman Khan Kakar, saying she had hoped he would be the last martyr from the region, but the continued occurrence of terrorist incidents since then has raised serious concerns.
She stressed that preventing such incidents in the future requires greater unity among the Pashtun community. She also urged all political parties and segments of society to set aside their differences and unite on a single agenda aimed at restoring lasting peace across Southern Pashtunkhwa and the entire province.
