QUETTA, Nov 1: Two policemen, who were patrolling a busy Zarghoon Road, were gunned down by an unknown terrorist on Friday night.

One of the policemen was killed on the spot while other died at the Civil Hospital, Quetta. Both policemen received multiple bullets in different parts of their bodies, hospital sources said.

Head constable Mohmamad Jamil and constable Abdul Rahim of the Industrial Police Station were on a patrol duty in the Zarghoon Road on an official motorcycle.

According to police, when the policemen tried to stop a suspect near the overhead bridge linking Sariab Road with Zarghoon, he took out an automatic weapon and started indiscriminate fire, killing Head constable Jamil on the spot and badly wounding Abdul Rahim, who also died later at the civil hospital.

The Inspector-General of Balochistan Police, Dr Shoaib Suddle, who visited the site along with other police officials after the incident, told Dawn that criminal motives could be behind the incident.

He said there was a possibility that the terrorist might be waiting for snatching a vehicle to use it in a criminal activity.

“We are investigating the incident and soon the police would reach a conclusion,” he said.

TEACHERS STRIKE: The indefinite hunger strike of the leaders of different teachers associations of the province entered the third day on Friday.

Over two dozens office-bearers of the Balochistan Government Teachers Association had gone on an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday.

The teachers of the province have been protesting against the non-payment of their salaries for over seven months and non-fulfilment of the government commitment to reinstate the sacked teachers.

The office-bearers who had gone on hunger strike on Thursday were: Provincial President of the Association Abdul Ghafar Kandizai, Hafiz Ghulam Mohammad Khosa, Chairman; Ahmed Khan Ronjha, General Secretary; Fazal Mohammad, Imtiaz Hussain, Maulvi Mohammad Sardar, Rahmatullah Sabir, Mohammad Asharf, Akhtar Mohammad Kahteran and others.

A fresh group of teachers on Friday joined the hunger strikers, bringing the total to 35.

More groups and associations from different parts of the province would join the hunger strikers in the coming days.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdul Ghafar Kandizai, President of Government Teachers Association, Balochistan, pledged to continue their strike until the acceptance of their demands.

He said the government had cornered the teachers and they had been left with no choice other than going on hunger strike to get their demands accepted.

He demanded that cases against teachers of Quetta, Harnai and Zhob should be withdrawan immediately.