June 2, 2003	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 1, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

QUETTA, June 1: A strike was observed here on Sunday in protest against the murder of a leading goldsmith of the province, Abdul Ghafoor.

The strike call was give by traders’ organizations and supported by political parties, that criticized the provincial government for failing to control the deteriorating law and order situation.

All markets, business centres, shops and establishments remained closed. Traffic was also thin.

Contingents of police and other law enforcement agencies were deployed to avert any untoward incident. Police and Balochistan reserve police continued patrolling in the city. No untoward incident was reported.

Mr Ghafoor, a former senior vice-president of the Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was killed on Saturday in the new Quetta area.

Police could not arrest anybody involved in the murder.

The deputy inspector-general of police, Humayyun Jogezai, said it was not sectarian killing and added that the cause of the murder might be an enmity. A team was formed to investigate the case.

POLICE CRITICIZED: The Pakistan People’s Party, the Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), the Awami National Party, the Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Anjuman-i-Tajiran Balochistan, the Pakistan International Human Rights and the Balochistan Sarafa Association criticized the deteriorating law and order situation.

In their statements, they said incidents of murder, robbery and armed attacks were increasing but the police were reluctant to act against criminals.

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)