Raisani’s brother demands truth commission on Mastung attack

QUETTA: The brother of Nawabzada Siraj Raisani on Saturday called for a truth commission to be constituted to investigate the suicide blast at an election rally in Mastung, which martyred 128 people and injured 150 others in one of the deadliest attacks in the country's history.

Siraj Raisani, who was running for a provincial seat with the newly-formed local Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), was among those martyred as the blast ripped through the rally when he took the stage on Friday.

Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani, his brother, mourned the loss of innocent lives and condemned the country’s policy-makers for failing to protect its citizens against terrorism.

Speaking to media earlier today, Lashkari Raisani demanded that a truth commission be formed to probe all decisions and policies made by the governments dating back to General Zia-ul-Haq’s era.

“Those who make policies are responsible and answerable for [the blood of the innocent]. These [terrorist attacks] are a consequence of incorrect policies,” he lamented.

“If the [policy-makers] genuinely shared in our grief, they would have reversed their policies. But they didn’t. We are still burying our dead.

“I demand a truth commission, not a reconciliation commission, but a truth commission to investigate [the incidents],” the grieving brother added. 

Siraj Raisani, who was to contest for PP-35 (Mastung), will be laid to rest in Kanak, Mastung. His funeral prayers are scheduled in Quetta today. 

Commander Southern Command Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa visited the Raisani family residence earlier to offer his condolences. 

Balochistan in mourning after Mastung suicide blast martyrs 128, including Raisani

Balochistan govt has announced two-day mourning after 128 people, including BAP candidate Siraj Raisani, were martyred in a suicide attack on Friday

The Mastung attack was the most lethal since Taliban militants assaulted Peshawar’s Army Public School in 2014, killing over 150 people, mostly children, and one of the deadliest in the country´s long struggle with terrorism.

It came hours after four people were killed and 39 injured in a bomb blast targetting a JUI-F convoy in Bannu on Friday.

On Tuesday, a bomb targeted a rally by the Awami National Party (ANP) in Peshawar, martyring local ANP leader Haroon Bilour along with 21 others.