QUETTA, Sept 2: A partial strike was observed in the city in response to a call by the Hazara Democratic Party in protest against the killing of seven members of the Hazara community in Hazarganji on Saturday.

Trading centres and shops on Jinnah road, Shahra-i-Iqbal, Bacha Khan Chowk, Mission road, Liaquat bazaar, Sattar road, Alamdar road, Marriabad and Hazara town remained closed.

In a statement, the Hazara Democratic Party thanked the traders for keeping their businesses shut to express solidarity with the grieving families.

The party condemned the government and police for their failure to act against the terrorists who have slain hundreds of innocent people over the past few years.

The party asked the government to launch a crackdown on sectarian killers without delay and said its struggle for protecting the rights of the Hazaras and other communities living in the provincial capital would continue.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen held at the Hasan Musa Girls’ College condemned the killings.

Allama Amin Shaheedi, Sardar Saadat Ali Hazara, Allama Hashim Musavi and Allama Maqsood Domki regretted that while the killers were moving about freely the law-enforcement agencies remained silent spectators.

They said it was the government’s responsibility to curb violence and take action against the elements involved in sectarian attacks.