QUETTA, March 5: Tens of thousands of people could not say their Friday prayers as authorities did not allow relaxation in curfew in the worst-hit areas of Tuesday's violence and terrorist attack on Ashura procession here.
The district administration announced through loudspeakers that there will be no relaxation in curfew restrictions for Jumma prayers and people should refrain from coming on the roads.
"We have not given a curfew break to avoid any trouble after Jumma prayers," a senior official of the district administration said. He recalled that during Thursday's curfew relaxation some people had tried to attack and ransack some shops on Masjid Road.
The localities where curfew was not lifted included Prince Road, Liaquat Road, Masjid Road, Orchard Road, Mecongy Road, Kasi Road, Fatima Jinnah Road, Jinnah Road, Circular Road, Iqbal Road, Toghai Road, Suraj Ganj Bazaar and Quary Road.
Only people with curfew passes could say their prayers. In other parts of the city, curfew was relaxed between 9am and 5pm.However, a one-hour break was given later in the day in the main affected areas of the city from 4pm to 5pm. Relieved, the people rushed to the bazaars to buy food, grocery, fruit and other daily-use items.
The sellers charged prices at will. The daily wage earners were the worst hit by curfew restrictions as they had to stay indoors. "I am a labourer, and my bread and butter depends on daily wages. All may savings have been exhausted during the last three days," 50-year-old Abdullah told this correspondent in Meezan Chowk.
The government and private sector employees could not draw their salaries for the month of February as banks are closed since last Sunday. However, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the provincial capital on Friday.
Army troops, Frontier Corps and Frontier Constabulary personnel continued patrolling during the curfew relaxation. Journalists faced great difficulties as army officials deployed in the curfew areas were not accepting the passes issued by the provincial home department.
In some cases, army officers tore the passes of newspaper hawkers and other workers issued to them by competent authorities.
WOMEN PROCESSION: Around 400 women took out a protest procession on Alamdar Road on Friday to condemn Tuesday's terrorist attack on Ashura procession that claimed the lives of 47 people.
Amid tight security, the protesting women marched through the main Alamdar Road chanting anti-government slogans. They were carrying banners inscribed with their demands.
They were demanding arrest of terrorists and other people involved in the macabre killing of Ashura mourners.
GOVERNOR'S VISIT: Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani visited the Combined Military Hospital, Quetta, where he inquired about the welfare of the people injured in Tuesday's incident.
Later, talking to reporters he said it was a very tragic incident and the law enforcing agencies were investigating it from different angles. He said the government had already set up a tribunal headed by a Judge of the Balochistan High Court for conducting a probe into the tragedy.
"The elements involved in the incident cannot escape punishment," the governor said. He urged the people to maintain peace and the spirit of brotherhood in the province.
He said some 80 injured were under treatment while 54 others had been allowed to go home, after being provided first aid. Quetta city Nazim Mohammad Rahim Kakar has extended the closure of all colleges, schools and university up to March 10 in view of the city situation.
The Balochistan University has postponed all ongoing examinations of MA/MSc and BDS till further orders. New dates will be announced after March 9, a university handout said.