QUETTA: A shutter-down and wheel-jam strike was observed in Baloch-dominated districts of Balochistan on Monday, in response to a strike call by Baloch Students Organisation (BSO) over alleged killing of missing persons by security forces.
Provincial capital, Quetta, witnessed a partial strike. Business centres and markets were closed in all the Baloch-populated areas, including Sariab Road, Brewery Road, Joint Road, Mano Jan Road, Killi Ismail, Double Road and Hudda. However, shops at Jinnah Road, Sharah-e-Iqbal, Abdul Sattar Road and Liaquat Bazaar conducted business. All private educational institutions and the University of Balochistan were closed.
Traffic was thin while attendance in government and private offices was also low. Traffic between Quetta-Karachi and Sibi-Taftan remained disrupted the whole day as BSO activists had blocked highways at different areas of the province by erecting barricades and stones. Provincial administration had taken strict security measures in Quetta, and police backed by personnel of Frontier Corps, Balochistan Constabulary and anti-terrorist forces were deployed in different areas.
A complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike was also observed in Khuzdar, Mastung, Kalat, Kharan, Awaran, Nushki, Gwadar, Bolan, Turbat. Trade unions and transporters also participated in the strike. In a statement, BSO spokesman, Salam Sabir, declared the strike successful, saying it was observed across the province.
Baluch Sarmachar 