Traders observe strike in Quetta

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: The city traders on Wednesday observed a complete shutter-down strike to protest increasing incidents of kidnappings for ransom and growing lawlessness.

Most of the markets, shops and business centers located in the heart of the city including Jinnah Road, Double Road, Shara-e-Iqbal, Liaquat Bazaar and Abdul Sattar Road remained closed throughout the day.

The call for shutter down strike was given by Anjuman-e-Tajiran Balochistan which was completely supported by all political, religious and nationalist parties of Balochistan.

Traders also took out a rally led by President Anjuman-e-Tajiran Balochistan Abdul Rahim Kakar from Meezan Chowk. The rally passed through the various roads f the city.

The traders chanted full throat anti-government slogans and lashed out at the authorities concerned for not providing security to them. They demanded that the government should ensure recovery of kidnapped traders.

After marching through different streets of city the rally culminated into protest demonstration outside Quetta Press Club.

Addressing the participants of demonstration, President Anjuman-e-Tajiran Abdul Rahim Kakar, leaders of National Party and PKMAP Doctor Ishaq Baloch  Nasrullah Zeray strongly criticised authorities  for their failure to check rising crimes in the city.

They said that law and order situation was deteriorated in Quetta and there was no writ of government therefore robbers and abductors commit crime in the broad daylight.

They said that government had deployed Frontier Corps (FC) in the city to curb lawlessness and crimes but despite heavy deployment of force there was no any improvement.

They alleged that some gangs having support of influential people were involved in kidnapping of traders for ransom and other innocent people.

They said that growing incidents of robbery and kidnapping for ransom had caused sense of insecurity among the people and if government did not take timely action the situation would further deteriorate.

They demanded of the government for taking prompt action for the safe recovery of kidnapped traders.

They also condemned killings of traders in Karachi and termed Muttahida Qaumi Movement a fascist party which they said was responsible for deteriorating law and order situation and incidents of target killings in the port city.

It may be mentioned that incidents of kidnapping for ransom and robberies have increased manifold.