Quetta firing incidents & killing of 18 Shia Muslims spark shutter down strike

31 July, 2011 14:54

Quetta firing incidents & killing of 18 Shia Muslims spark shutter down strike

Complete Shutter down strike was observed in Quetta the provincial capital of Balochistan Province against the last two days of target killing incidents against Shia Muslims and Hazara Shia Community on the call of the Hazara Democratic Party here on Sunday.

The shutter down strike was being observed in Quetta to mourn the killing of 18 people in two separate incidents of target killing on pilgrims bus claims 8 lives on Friday and an gun attack on a passenger van early Saturday.

According to the Shiite News Correspondent, The city has blanketed mourning over killing of 18 people on two separate incidents. Nine out of 11 martyred on Saturday were laid to rest at Hazara Town graveyard while another two were buried in Zainab Mariabad and Kachlak areas. However the martyred pilgrims of Friday incidents were shifted at MandiBahauddin for their funeral.

Different political groups announced observance of Mourning Day in Quetta on Sunday while Hazara Democratic Party has given call of complete shutter down strike.

The anguished and angry citizens protesting voiced slogans against the terrorists killing spree and the governmentâ€™s utter failure to give protection to the life and security of the people. The police unfortunately instead of going after the culprits preferred taking six protesters under custody on the charges of forcing shops to shut down.

Amaldar Road, Barori, Hazara town, Murreeabad, Jinnnah Road, Sharea Iqbal, Liaquat Bazar and many other areas observing shutter down strike on the call of Hazara Democratic Party. The shops and business centres remain closed, while the traffic on the roads is also very thinÂ

Police have made stringent security arrangements by deploying heavy contingents on the main roads, shopping centres and other vintage poits, while the FC trrops were patrolling around the city.Â

Police have taken six protesters under custody on the charges of forcing shops to shut down, but HDP leaders complained that the police in their attempt to make the strike unsuccessful arrested their scores of workers. Later, HDP activists torched tyres, voiced slogans against police highhandedness and staged demos at Meezan Chowk, Liaquat Bazar and Junction Chaowk

DIG Operations Hamid Shakil has claimed taking under arrest plenty of suspected persons on alleged charges of firing on devotees.