December 31, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 20, 1428

QUETTA, Dec 30: Life in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan remained paralysed on Sunday with a shutter-down strike continuing for the third day in protest against the assassination of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.

Among the worst-affected towns are Dera Murad Jamali, Dera Jamali, Sibi, Khuzdar, Kalat, Loralai, Pishin, Hub, Harnai, Zhob, Turbat, Gwadar, Panjgur and Pasni.

Funeral prayers in absentia for Benazir Bhutto were offered in Quetta and other cities and towns of the province.

Fishermen in Gwadar, Pasni, Gadani and other coastal towns of Balochistan kept their activities suspended to pay respect to Benazir Bhutto.

The rail link between Quetta and other parts of the country also remained suspended for the third day.

According to railway officials, no train left or arrived in Quetta on Sunday.

“I cannot tell you when the train service would be restored,” a senior official of the Quetta Railway division told Dawn. He said the Sukkur railway division was busy in removing destroyed locomotives and burnt bogies at the main railway line linking Karachi with rest of the country.

“There is no possibility of restoring train service for Quetta in the next two to three days,” he said, adding that the Railway Headquarters had not given any indication about restoring the rail link of Quetta with other cities.

In Quetta, people were facing hardship due to shortage of food items. Most shops in the city are short of food items because supply to the shops has remained suspended for three days. Shopkeepers were overcharging and flour was being sold for Rs35 to Rs40 per kg.

Overall, the law and order situation was under control and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the province. Heavy contingents of law-enforcement personnel were deployed in sensitive areas of the province.

Situation in Nasirabad and Jaffarabad districts was returning to normality where many banks, public and private buildings and railways station had been ransacked by angry mobs.