QUETTA, Nov 20: Several towns in Balochistan remained shut on Wednesday on the call of the Baloch Republican Party to mark the sixth death anniversary of militant leader Nawabzada Balaach Marri.

The nationalist groups vowed to continue what they called the struggle against occupation forces to protect the motherland.

Traders observed strike in Nushki, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Awaran, Gwadar, Panjgur, Kharan, Turbat, Mand and Hub, according to sources.

In separate statements, the Baloch National Front, Baloch National Movement, Baloch Students Organisation-Azad and self-exiled leaders Mir Javed Mengal and Mehran Baloch paid homage to Balaach Marri and others “who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for rights for the Baloch people.”

They said that Balaach Marri and other leaders and activists had accepted death but refused to surrender before “occupation forces”.

They appealed to the United Nations and international human rights organisations to take notice of what they called state-sponsored genocide of the Baloch people.

They said that it was the responsibility of the international community to stop atrocities of the security forces and protect the people.