QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has vowed to take every step to protect life and property of people and restore peace in the province.

Presiding over a law and order meeting on Monday, he directed the authorities concerned to make arrangements for an immediate shifting of the bodies of the Shia pilgrims killed in suicide attacks and firing in Taftan on Sunday and ensure better treatment to the injured.

Home Minister Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad, Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani, IG Frontier Corps, IG police and Quetta Commissioner Kambar Dashti attended the meeting.

The chief minister was briefed on details of the suicide attacks that claimed 23 lives and left several others injured.

The meeting discussed reasons for pilgrims’ preference not to travel by air despite the fact that the government had arranged subsidised flights to Iran from Quetta and other cities of the country.

“Immediate steps be taken for early arrest of elements behind the heinous attack,” Dr Baloch directed the officials.

Meanwhile, the chief minister issued orders for providing security to private schools and education centres in Panjgur district.

Talking to a delegation of the principals of Panjgur-based private schools, he said no-one would be allowed to play with the future of the nation.

The delegation briefed the chief minister about a religious group that had threatened them to discontinue co-education.

Dr Baloch expressed resentment and said that threatening schools was tantamount to destroying the future of children.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2014