Quetta shuts down to mourn Shia killings

* Complete wheel-jam, shutter-down strike observed in city

* Balochistan chief minister says province is being pushed to civil war

QUETTA: A complete wheel-jam and shutter-down strike paralysing all routine and business activities was observed in the provincial capital on Sunday to protest the recent wave of Shia killings. The strike was called by the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) and was backed by the Balochistan National Party (BNP) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) to protest the sectarian violence that has killed 18 people in the last four days.

All shops, markets, restaurants and pharmacies in Liaquat Bazar, Mezan Chowk, Abdul Sattar Road, Prince Road, Jinnah Road, Zarghoon Road, Brewery Road, Hazara Town and Marriabad remained closed.

The strike was observed partially in Saryab and the nearby areas as most of the markets and shops remained opened. Stringent security measures were taken to maintain law and order, with the deployment of paramilitary troops, Frontier Corps (FC), police and other law enforcement agencies in and around Quetta. Security personnel had been deployed in the city to restore order but panic and uncertainty continued to plague the city as people preferred to stay indoors and most of the streets and roads wore a deserted look.

During a meeting to review law and order situation in the province, Balochistan Chief Minister Aslam Raisani warned that the province was being pushed to civil war through a well-meditated plan. He said the government would launch a targeted operation in Quetta to restore peace and order in the city. Police Department would be restructured and above-board actions would be taken against culprits and target killers, he added. The chief minister announced the decision in a high-level meeting held to review the law and order situation in the province after the fresh wave of ethnic and sectarian killings in Quetta. Raisani urged religious leaders to play their role to normalise the situation in the province. He was also briefed about the latest situation of law and order in Quetta.

Nine people, including seven belonging to the Hazara community, were killed on Saturday in four different incidents. agencies

Home | Main