WASHUK: A strike was observed in Washuk town against the closure of several public offices and absence of government officials, besides shifting of some offices from the district headquarters to a sub-division. The strike was observe on the call of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), National Party (NP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Addressing the protesters, JUI-F leader Basharat Ullah Alezai, BNP-M’s Mir Ali Hasan Alezai, Ismail Mullazai of NP and PML-N leader Nasir Qambari condemned the prolonged absence of government officials and said several public offices had not yet been made functional in Washuk despite it being declared a district in 2005.

They criticised the shifting of two public offices from Washuk to Basima and urged the authorities concerned to take action against those responsible for closure of public offices in the town.

Meanwhile, Washuk Deputy Commissioner Shafqat Anwar Shahwani held negotiations with the protesters and assured them of conveying their demands to higher authorities. The protesters ended the sit-in after negotiations with Mr Shahwani.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2021