November 10, 2001	Saturday	Shaba’an 23, 1422

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QUETTA, Nov 9: A complete strike was observed in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan on Friday on the call of religious parties against the US attacks on Afghanistan.

Though no serious untoward incident occurred in Quetta and others townships of the province, police arrested over 100 local leaders and activists of different religious parties.

“We have arrested over 50 activists of JUI and other parties for blocking the main road, pelting stones on the passing vehicles and forcibly closing the shops,” Quetta SSP Abid Ali confirmed to Dawn.

All markets and business centres and even small shops remained closed throughout the day in Quetta City. However, shops and markets remained opened in the cantonment area.

Local buses and other vehicles stayed off the road, responding to the strike call. However, in the main city some rickshaws and private vehicles were seen plying.

No passenger coach could leave for Karachi and other destinations as main Quetta-Karachi Highway was blocked by the activists of religious parties at different areas of Hub, Mastung, Kalat and Khuzdar. Coaches also did not reach Quetta from Karachi and other areas of the country.

However, all Quetta-bounds trains coming from Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar arrived on their schedule while trains from Quetta for different cities of the country left on time without any disturbance.

In Quetta, a small group of JUI and other religious parties activists blocked main Quetta-Sariab road.

However, soon after receiving information about these incidents, police rushed to the affected areas and dispersed the crowd and arrested around 60 people.

After Jumma prayer a group of around hundred people tried to take out a protest procession but local administration and police did not allow them to march on the roads and streets of the city.

The protesters remained at the Kandahari Bazar for more than one hours and chanted anti-US slogans. However, later they dispersed peacefully. No untoward incident was reported from any part of the city.

The Inspector-General of Police, Dr Shoaib Suddle, and all other senior police officers, including Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Quetta Range, Humayon Jogezai, and SSP Quetta Abid Ali continued patrolling the city throughout the day.

Heavy contingents of Frontier Corps and police were deployed at all important places and buildings to check any untoward situation.

Reports coming from other areas of the province suggest that a complete strike was observed in Sibi where 70 people, including a JUI leader, were arrested by the police.

Similar reports of business shutdowns were received from Zhob, Loralai, border town Chaman, Kalat, Khuzdar, Qila Saifullah and Muslim Bagh.

Business activities came to a complete halt in Hub on Friday in response to a strike call given by religious parties of the area, Our Hub correspondent adds.