QUETTA: While a shutter down strike was observed across several districts of Balochistan in response to a call given by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), the provincial capital witnessed a partial strike, on Wednesday.

A complete strike was observed in the port city of Gwadar as well as Turbat, Panjgur, Pasni, Mand, Buleda, Awaran, Bela, Khuzdar, Kalat, Mastung, Noshki, Kharan, Barkhan and Kohlu where all markets and business centres remained shuttered.

The strike call was given by the BYC leaders to register protest against the alleged extrajudicial killing of Balaach Mola Bakhsh in Turbat, enforced disappearance and violence of police against the participants in the long march, including women and children, in Islamabad.

Traffic was thin on roads as private transport remained off the road as political workers and others in Gwadar, Turbat and Khuzdar blocked highways burnt tyres and put barricades and boulders on the roads.

However, the situation was slightly different in the provincial capital, where shops and markets particularly those in Sariab area were closed in response to the strike call.

On the other hand, all markets, shops, business centres and shopping malls remained open in the main city areas where road traffic was normal during the day.

President of Central Anjuman Tajran Abdul Rahim Kakar had earlier requested the business community that there will be no strike in Quetta, as the traders did not receive any strike call from any quarter.

Abdul Wahid Shawani in Khuzdar also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2024