ISLAMABAD, Sept 1: Two paramilitary personnel were killed and several people injured as most parts of the country gave an effective response to the strike call given by the combined opposition against the government on various issues, particularly the killing of Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti.

Reports said the shutdown in most parts of Balochistan, NWFP and Sindh was near-complete while Punjab witnessed a poor response to the call.

Over 100 people were arrested in the country, most of them in Balochistan, following clashes between the law-enforcement agencies personnel and protesters.

Public transport on city and inter-city routes in the badly affected provinces remained thin.

Several shops and government buildings were set ablaze and attacked during demonstrations.

Almost all main commercial and industrial centres in cities like Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar remained closed, but business activities in Lahore remained normal.

Operations at the Karachi Port Trust and Bin Qasim Port and other government organisations and corporations remained disturbed.

Attendance in government and private organisations and educational institution was below normal.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) president Qazi Hussain Ahmed termed the strike successful and thanked people for their response to the call given by political parties in the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy and MMA.

KARACHI: Two personnel of Pakistan Rangers were shot dead and a policeman was wounded in separate incidents.