July 25, 2007	Wednesday	Rajab 09, 1428

QUETTA, July 24: The Muttahida Transport and Traders Action Committee has called for a shutter-down strike in the provincial capital for Thursday in protest against the non-implementation of the agreement to provide amenities in the new Hazarganji bus stand. The committee also plans to block the National Highway linking Quetta with Karachi.

However, the Markaz Anjuman-i-Tajiran and other transporters have opposed the strike stating that the protesters wanted to blackmail the government.

Speaking at a press conference at the press club on Tuesday, representatives of transporters and traders blamed one another for getting special benefits from the government.

Haji Abdul Qadir Raisani and Abdul Rahim Kakar of the Muttahida Transport and Traders Action Committee announced that the National Highway would be blocked at Lakpass and Kuchlak to stop vehicles coming from or heading towards the provincial capital on Thursday.

They said that the strike would be peaceful but if anyone attempted to sabotage the protest then they would be responsible for the consequences.

They claimed that the city government Nazim in the presence of army officials had agreed to provide amenities like water, telephone connections and plots so that transport offices could be constructed there but as nothing had been provided it had been decided to observe protest.