By Our Staff Reporter
QUETTA: The Balochistan government has moved 1700 Zaireen (Shia Pilgrims) from Pak-Iran border Taftan to their home provinces of Sindh and Punjab on Thursday. The buses convoy carrying the pilgrims have arrived Quetta and they are being sent to Sindh and Punjab, Imran Zarkoon, the Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) told Quetta Voice via telephone.
The shifting of the pilgrims has come after the Chief Minister Balochistan, Jam Kamal’s request to other provinces to provide transport facility to shift their pilgrims from Balochistan. Sindh has criticized the Balochistan government for what it claimed its poor management in dealing with situation at Pak-Iran border Taftan.
Currently, over 400 pilgrims and traders are quarantined at Pak-Iran border Taftan. Last night, Iran forced 146 pilgrims and traders to enter into Pakistan, Agha Sher Zaman, the Deputy Commissioner Chaghi told Quetta Voice. He said, “we have informed the provincial government about forced entry of people from Iran”.
Senator Anwar ul Haq Kakar of ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) in a talk show on a private TV channel said, “Iran had forced Zaireen to enter into Pakistan unlike China, which kept the students till complete medical tests”.
Strict security measures were adopted by the Balochistan government to make sure safe shifting of Zaireen to their home provinces. Since closure of the border and outbreak of deadly corona virus in neighboring Iran, over 7000 Zaireen have entered into Pakistan. Most of the Zaireen belong to Sindh and Punjab provinces of the country.
