SUKKUR, Feb 17: A shutterdown was observed across the upper Sindh region on Sunday in protest against the Saturday terrorist attack on the Hazara community in Quetta that left about 80 people dead and over 150 others wounded.

Protest rallies were taken out in different towns including Sukkur, Ghotki, Jacobabad, Mirpur Mathelo, Kandhkot and Daharki.

Participants in the rallies burnt tyres and raised slogans against terrorists and demanded protection to followers of the Shia sect across the country.

Leaders of the Shia Ulema Council, Shia Action Committee, Jafferia Alliance, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen and other organisations spoke to the protesters.

Liaquat Ali Johri, Maulana Riaz Chauhan, Ali Ahmed Hakro and Manzoor Sajidi led different rallies taken out in Sukkur. The participants marched through the streets of the city from Clock Tower to the local press club, where they staged a sit-in and demanded arrest of all those involved in ‘genocide’ of the Hazara community.

HYDERABAD: Parts of the city remained closed on Sunday in protest against the killing of 80 Hazara community members in Quetta on Saturday. Members of the Shia community took out rallies and staged protest demonstrations to condemn the terrorist attack. They burnt old tyres and forced closure of shops in Khokhar Mohallah, Gharib Nawaz Bridge and other areas. Shopping centres in Saddar, Cantonment, Tilak Incline and Latifabad remained closed.

Aerial firing was also reported in the Gharib Nawaz bridge area.

A partial strike was also observed in Tando Allahyar and Tando Muhammad Khan districts.

MIRPURKHAS: A shutterdown was observed across Mirpurkhas district and members of the Shia community on the call of the Shia Ulema Council took out protest rallies in various towns to condemn the Saturday carnage in Quetta. Protesters staged sit-ins on various roads and raised slogans against terrorism and anti-Islam forces.

They demanded protection to the followers of the Shia sect and called for arrest of all those responsible for the targeted killing of Shia people.

KHAIRPUR: A shutterdown was observed in parts of Khairpur district on Sunday against the worst-ever terrorist attack on the Shia community in Pakistan on Saturday. Shia organisations took out a number of protest rallies in different towns of Khairpur district.

Speaking to the protesters, their leaders said that Shia people, especially the Hazara community, were constantly being targeted in terrorist attacks in Quetta and certain other parts of the country.

NAWABSHAH: A complete shutterdown was observed on Sunday in the entire district against the Quetta carnage.

Leaders and members of the Shia Ulema Council and other organisations observed a sit-in outside the local press club to register their protest and demand protection to the Shia community.

Maulana Abid Hussain Zardari, Syed Afzaal Shah, Mohammed Hussain Chandio and others said that the government had failed to curb terrorism and stop ‘targeted’ killing of Shia people in the country. A shutterdown was also observed in Sakrand, Bandhi, Daur, Jam Sahab, Daulatpur, Qazi Ahmed, Bucheri and other towns.

KARACHI, Feb 17: The customs handed over 31 “imported” highly rare and endangered species of pythons to the Karachi Zoological Gardens on Sunday.