LARKANA: In protest against the suicide attack on a bus carrying Shia pilgrims in Mastung that claimed more than 25 lives, members of the Shia community staged sit-ins, held demonstrations and observe strikes on the call of Majlis-e-Wahadat-ul-Muslmeen (MWM) and other Shia organisation on Thursday with a resolve to continue the agitation unless their demands are accepted by the federal government.

In Larkana, a shutter-down strike was observed at Nasirabad where protesters blocked the Indus Highway near Government Degree College while in the city, they staged a sit-in at Lahori mohalla and Al-Abbas Chowk blocking the two main roads.

Syed Akhtar Hussain Naqvi, Syed Skhawat Shah and Malook Jagirani of the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) led the protest rally calling for the arrest of the killers.

In the city, a big number of Shias under the flag of the MWM and Shia Ulema Council and their sister organisations gathered at the main gate of Jinnahbagh to voice their concern.

Calling the incident ‘genocide’, the leaders said that if the culprits were not arrested, the situation would further deteriorate.

Earlier, the protesters forced shopkeepers to close their business, but after a little while trade activities were resumed in the city amidst heavy police and Rangers patrolling.

The sit-in against the killing of the Hazara community members on the Hyderabad bypass continued on Thursday.

People irrespective of their age and health were attending the protest.

The two sections of the bypass were blocked leading to a worst traffic gridlock especially of the vehicles that were coming from up and down country.

The point buses of Sindh, Mehran and Liaquat universities could not reach the campuses as staff and students kept waiting for them in different areas.

Led by Shia clerics, the protesters were reciting Mersias and Nohas.

Similar protests continued for a second day on Wednesday throughout Khairpur district.

Angry protesters were sitting on the highway by lighting bonfire to beat the extreme cold.

Traders in Ranipur Bazaar observed a shutterdown.

A bigger demonstration was observed along the Babarloi bypass at Alamdar Chowk which links the Karachi-Punjab route via Sukkur.

In Mirpurkhas, several hundred members of the Shia community under the banner of the Shia Action Committee, Mirpurkhas, blocked the main Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas road near toll plaza and also staged a sit-in here to protest the Mastung incident.

Activists and supporters of the Majlis Wahadal-i- Muslimeen in Naushahro Feroze staged a sit-in on the National Highway at Kotri Kabir, Kandiaro, Bhiria City and Moro.

They condemned the bomb attack on the bus of “Shia Zaaireen” and demanded immediate arrest of the accused terrorists.

They demanded an immediate operation by the Pakistan Army against the terrorists in the country.

Similar sit-ins were staged in Sanghar, Dadu and Badin. MWM activists and supporters held rallies demanding protection for the Shia community.