QUETTA, Aug 11: Police have arrested two activists of an outlawed religious organisation in connection with the killing of a shopkeeper here on Thursday night.

The shopkeeper, Anwar Zulfiqar Abidi, was the victim of a drive-by shooting near Zarghoon road on Thursday night.

After the shooting, hundreds of people belonging to the Hazara community gathered at the Civil Hospital and blocked the main Jinnah road, disrupting traffic.

Traders and businessmen also shut down their establishments in protest against the killing.

The protesters refused to accept the dead shopkeeper’s body and continued their protest until 10am on Thursday. Only when news of the arrest of the two suspects came through, did they agree to take away the body and have it buried in Marriabad graveyard.

Police sources identified the detained men as Yasin and Nawab Khan.

Traffic remained suspended for 16 hours at Jinnah road. The shops at Jinnah road, Qandahri Bazaar, Liaquat road and other areas remained closed till 11am.