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Strike paralyses
Balochistan
Complete wheel-jam and shutter-down strike was observed across
Balochistan on Sunday on the eve of first death anniversary of Nawab
Akbar Khan Bugti. Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was killed in an army action in
Tratani mountains of Kohlu District on August 26, last year.
The strike call was made by Nawab Akbar Bugti’s grandson, Nawabzada
Brahamdagh Bugti and the chief organizer of Jamhoori Watan Party while
all nationalist parties and Anguman Tajran Balochistan and Balochistan
Bus owners Association also supported the strike call.
All markets and business centres remained closed in Quetta and other
districts like Khuzdar, Kalat, Mastung, Kharan, Chaghi,
Naushki,Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Bolan, Sibi, Hub, Punjgoor, Kechh and
Gwader. However partial strike was observed in northern districts of
Balochistan like Pishin, Killah abdulla, Killa Saifullah, Zhob, Loralai,
Musa Khail and Ziarat.
All the four main highways Quetta-Sukkur, Quetta-Karcahi, Quetta-Iran
and Quetta-Chaman linking the provincial capital with rest of cities and
country remained closed for vehicular traffic. The strike was not forced
rather voluntarily as the call was supported by political parties and
traders and transporters. No passenger coach or bus could move to
interior of Balochistan and down the country from the provincial capital
of Quetta.
The political leaders and activists of Baloch nationalist parties
hoisted black flags on their houses, party offices and other building
through the province.
Police arrested over 200 political parties activists and workers on the
changes of violating section 144 by holding political rallies and
closing roads by burning tyres in different towns of the province.
In Khuzdar, 8 persons including former MPA Akbar Mengal were reported to
have received injuries as the police baton charged to check the
participants of a procession from blocking the highway.
Five explosions took place in different areas including provincial
capital of Quetta, causing suspension of gas supply to a locality. Some
unknown persons placed an explosive with a 6" diameter pipeline in Killi
Alumo, in the outskirts of Quetta and exploded it. As a result the two
feet piece of pipeline was blown up causing suspension of gas supply to
Nawa Killi.
Two bomb blasts were reported in Much town, some 70 KM South East of
Quetta causing damage to service line gas of a house and a wall of a
school. An explosion took place near WAPDA office in Khuzdar town, some
300 KM west of Quetta. However no causality was reported. Some unknown
persons placed a bomb with a government building in coastal town of
Pasani that exploded with a heavy bang. As a result the wall of the
building was damaged partially.
In the meanwhile police defused a homemade bomb planted with the wall of
a local school in Killi Shiekhan, in the outskirts of Quetta.
Unidentified armed men also fired a dozen of rockets on the camp of
Frontier corps in Dasht-e-Goran in Dera Bugti area. However the rockets
missed the targets, but hit a power pylon and a gas pipeline causing
suspension of power supply to Dera Bugti town and gas supply to a
locality. By Shazada Zulfiqar 27.8.07 |