QUETTA: The Red Zone on the city’s main thoroughfare, Zarghoon Road, was opened for traffic on Sunday on the orders of Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo.

The Red Zone was closed for the general public around 17 years back. Now, all barricades and hurdles have been removed and its gates have been opened for the people.

Governor Syed Zahoor Ahmed Agha and Mr Bizenjo appeared in the Red Zone and announced the removal of all hurdles from the area where important installations, including Governor House and Chief Minister House, Balochistan Civil Secretariat and residences of the chief secretary, inspector general of Balochistan police and many ministers are located.

Some vehicles, such as auto-rickshaws, were not allowed in the Red Zone and protesters were also not allowed to enter the area.

The Red Zone was established 17 years ago in view of security concerns after a suicide attack was carried out near the official residence of the IG police. The attack claimed many lives.

Then IG police Mushtaq Sukhera escaped the attack. The IG house and some parts of Governor House were badly damaged in the attack.

CM Bizenjo also ordered the police to not block roads for traffic during his visit to an area in Quetta and other parts of the province.

CM assures security to Fazl

Meanwhile, CM Bezenjo said that the government will provide complete security to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman during his visit to Quetta and Chaman.

“It is the responsibility of the provincial government to provide maximum possible security to all political leaders in the province,” the chief minister said while talking to media here on Sunday.

He said the government had informed the Maulana about the terrorism danger during his upcoming visit to Quetta and Chaman.

“Now it will be his decision about visiting or not visiting Chaman,” he said, adding that the government would, however, fulfill its responsibility about providing maximum possible security to the JUI-F leader.

Replying to a question about recent terrorist attacks in different areas of the province, he said the terrorists wanted to make the people of the province hostage through these attacks, but members of security forces would foil these terrorists’ nefarious designs.

“Terrorism would harm only the Baloch people,” Mr Bezenjo said, adding that the people of the province were with the armed forces who were sacrificing their lives to protect the country.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2022