QUETTA: In response to the August suicide bombing at the Quetta rally, nationalist political parties organised a complete wheel-jam and shutter-down strike across Balochistan, including the provincial capital, on Monday.
The protest brought life to a standstill in many areas, disrupting transport, trade, and routine life throughout the province. Quetta police detained several political activists for blocking roads and disturbing public order during the protests. In addition, one political worker was also arrested in Jaffarabad, where tensions briefly escalated during demonstrations.
Due to the strike, Balochistan’s connection to other provinces was completely cut off, with key national highways blocked at several points. This caused significant delays for patients and travellers heading to other cities, leading to widespread inconvenience.
Authorities implemented stringent security measures across the province to prevent any untoward incidents, and the day passed without major unrest.
The strike was jointly called by multiple political parties, including the Balochistan National Party (Mengal group), Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, National Party, Awami National Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen.
The protest was aimed at expressing solidarity with the victims of the recent terrorist attack and highlighting the government’s perceived failure to ensure security in the province.
Authorities have urged citizens to exercise caution and maintain peace, while monitoring the situation closely to prevent any escalation of tensions in the coming days.
