QUETTA, March 30: A complete strike was observed here on Friday in protest against the attack on a van the day before which claimed the lives of five members of the Hazara Shia community.

The call was given by the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) and backed by the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Awami National Party, Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Jamhoori Watan Party (Talal group), Anjuman-i-Tajiran Balochistan, Tehrik-i-Insaaf, Shia Ulema Council, Balochistan Shia Conference and Hazara Qaumi Jirga.

Shops and offices in the city remained closed and vehicles stayed off the roads.

Activists of the HDP gathered near the provincial assembly building and raised slogans against the government and police.

They called upon the government to arrest perpetrators of the attack.

Members of the Balochistan Shia Conference, Shia Ulema Council and Hazara Qaumi Jirga gave the authorities 48 hours to arrest the culprits involved in the attack.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has said foreign forces are involved in sectarian and target killings in the province.

Speaking at a meeting, he expressed his dismay over the non-implementation of a security plan chalked out for improving law and order situation in the province.

Home Minister Mir Zafarullah Zahri, Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad, Home Secretary Naseebullah Bazai and senior police officers attended the meeting.

The meeting decided that Rs2 million would be given to the family of the police official who lost his life in the recent violence.

Nawab Raisani called upon law-enforcement agencies to come up with a plan to protect life and property.

The meeting decided to improve coordination between law-enforcement agencies. Steps will be taken for close and effective coordination between police and other law-enforcement institutions in the province.

The chief minister asked the Special Branch to play its role in overcoming lawlessness.

He said that anti-social elements wanted to pit people against each other. “The government is determined to fail their designs.”