QUETTA, Dec 27: Complete wheel jam and shutter-down strike was observed on Tuesday in Quetta and other parts of the province on the call of opposition parties to denounce government policies. The strike call was given against the military operation in Kohlu, paramilitary forces’ presence in Dera Bugti, Kalabagh dam plan, mega development schemes in Balochistan and the greater Thar canal project.

Routine life in the province was paralyzed by the complete wheel jam and shutter-down strike as all markets, shops and business centres remained closed and vehicular traffic remained off roads.

In some localities protesters resorted to stone-pelting and setting tyres on fire. A dozen vehicles were damaged. Six injured people were taken to the civil hospital in the provincial metropolis, police said, adding that two of the injured suffered bullet injuries in Samungali area. They were injured by the firing from a vehicle on protesters in retaliation to hurling stones.

Police sources said that the people were injured in Pukhtunabad, Kharotabad, Sariab and Sabzal road areas.

Personnel of law-enforcement agencies have arrested at least 30 political activists on charges of forcibly closing shops in different areas of the city.

Majority of the employees of government departments, banks and post offices could not reach their offices because of the non-availability of transport.

Reports from Sibi, Dera Bugti, Pishin, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kalat, Khuzdar, Hub, Panjgur, Gwadar, and Turbat said that complete strike was also observed in those areas.

Inter-city transport was also not available.

A joint statement issued here by the JWP, PMAP, BNP-M, ANP, NP, PPP, HDP, and TI-BSO (Alliance) thanked people, traders and transporters for making their strike call a success.

The opposition parties said that rulers should respect people’s sentiments and stop the military operation in Kohlu, withdraw security forces from Kohlu and Dera Bugti and shelve the controversial Kalabagh dam plan.