A complete shutter-down strike was observed in Balochistan on Sunday against the brutal Mastung massacre. Besides Quetta, shutter-down strike was observed in Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Chaman, Zhob, Loralai and other districts of the province.
According to details, all main markets and petrol pumps were closed whereas public transport was also thin on the roads. To mourn the killings, the national flag remained half-mast on all government buildings in the province. Moreover, heavy contingent of police and Rangers were deployed to counter any untoward incident.
In the provincial capital Quetta, all shops and business centres remained closed while vehicular traffic was also thin.
Almost all political parties of the province had supported the strike call to mourn the killings of bus passengers in Mastung. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Nazriyati (JUI-N) activists and traders staged protests in Quetta. They lashed out at the government for its failure to protect the lives and properties of people.
"It is ironic that the Prime Minister reached Karachi within hours of Safoora incident, but he is reluctant to come to Quetta," Abdul Sattar Chishti, Central Secretary Information JUI-I told reporters.
The strike was also backed by traders, civil society and other human rights organisations. "The killing of innocent people is extremely condemnable," Shams Mandokhail, an activist of human rights commission Balochistan chapter said.