QUETTA: Police in Quetta arrested more than 100 protesters on Monday for violating a ban on public gatherings, shutting down markets and blocking major roads during a province-wide strike. Senior Superintendent of Police Muhammad Baloch confirmed the arrests, saying the demonstrators had defied Section 144 and disrupted public life.
The strike was jointly called by six opposition parties, including the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), to protest the September 2 suicide bombing at a BNP-M rally that killed 15 people and injured 38. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds as demonstrators blocked roads with burning objects and hurled stones. The National Highways and Motorways Police reported that the N-25 highway near Quetta was closed at midday due to the protests, with additional blockades near Hub and Mastung.
The Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan alliance, which includes PTI, PkMAP and BNP-M, shared images online of shuttered shops in Awaran and claimed the Western Bypass in Quetta was completely shut down. Opposition leaders had earlier vowed to block highways, intercity roads and routes to airports and railway stations across Balochistan, urging traders and transporters to join the strike.
The Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other business bodies announced solidarity with the victims by closing shops and businesses, while private schools, colleges and universities across the province also remained closed. On Sunday, the provincial government had warned of strict action against any attempt to disrupt law and order.
The bombing, which targeted a gathering at Shahwani Stadium to mark the death anniversary of veteran nationalist leader Sardar Attaullah Mengal, left opposition leaders Akhtar Mengal, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, and others unhurt as they had departed shortly before the blast. At a joint press conference, opposition leaders condemned the attack and accused the state of failing to protect political gatherings.
