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ABBOTTABAD The death toll in anti-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa riots in Abbottabad rose to nine as another man injured in the recent violence died in a local hospital on Wednesday.
All banks, government and private offices, petrol pumps, CNG stations, shops and restaurants remained closed on the second day of a three-day mourning declared by the Anti-Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Action Committee.
Protesters held rallies in Abbottabad and Havelian even though the Hazara action committee headed by Haider Zaman, had called off the strike on Tuesday night.
The District Coordination Officer, Syed Zaheerul Islam, lifted Section 144 and ordered release of all protesters detained on Monday. The government has also transferred DIG Imtiaz Altaf, fulfilling another demand of the protesters.
The management of the Ayub Medical Complex Hospital management has expressed concern over the ongoing strike, saying it has run out of oxygen kits and life-saving drugs because of the continuing strike and closure of roads.
A spokesman for the hospital said that about 60 patients had been admitted there and 32 of them were still under treatment in the hospital and because of the continued closure of medical stores across the city the hospital provided medicines to all patients out of its own stocks. But the stocks were depleting fast, he added.
He appealed to all groups to let medical stores remain open.
HARIPUR
A strike was observed against the Abbottabad firing incident for the third consecutive day here on Wednesday.
The strike was part of a three-day mourning declared by the Committee for the Movement of Hazara Province on Monday.
Protesters blocked the GT Road at different points from Jhari Kas to Chamba Bridge, placing wooden logs and stones, forcing suspension of traffic on Hassanabdal-Abbottabad Road, Hattar-Taxila Road, Khanpur Taxila Road and other inter-city roads the entire day. However, some rickshaws and private pickups carrying women and patients were allowed to move for a limited time.
All business centres remained closed till afternoon, but no incident of violence or damage to public property, except rock throwing on a bus, was reported from any part of the district.
Supporters of Hazara Qaumi Mahaz blocked the Ghazi-Tarbela road near Jharian Chowk, suspending the flow of traffic for about two hours. The agitators did not allow the protocol vehicles of Mian Nawaz Sharif to enter the jurisdiction of Haripur district.
Meanwhile, lawyers of Haripur district expressed solidarity with the Movement for Hazara province and boycotted courts. They took out a protest procession and marched on the GT road, blocking it near district courts by burning tyres.
MANSEHRA
Life remained paralysed in Mansehra on Wednesday as a shutter-down strike was observed across the district.
All business centres and shops remained closed and vehicles stayed off the road. Protesters blocked the Karakoram highway and all links roads in the city.
Baton-wielding protesters marched through various roads and clashed with traders and shopkeepers.
Lawyers boycotted courts on the third consecutive day and reiterated their demand for a separate province.
In Balakot, Garhi Abdullah and Tanawal area demonstrators blocked link roads and took out processions.
