A complete strike was observed across Balochistan on Sunday against the murder of nine Shia Hazara citizens, while one more person was shot dead here in yet another incident of targeted killing.
All shops, businesses and markets remained closed in most districts of the province to protest against the murder of nine persons on Saturday.
An atmosphere of mourning and insecurity prevailed in the province, while heavy contingents of police and other law enforcement agencies kept patrolling the provincial capital and other parts of Balochistan to thwart any untoward incident.
Amid tight security in the provincial capital, several demonstrations were also taken out to protest against the barbaric act. Members of the Hazara Shia community, holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans calling for an end to targeted killings, took out several processions, and demanded the government to bring the attackers to justice.
The protestors also chanted slogans against law enforcement agencies over their failure to protect the lives of the citizens, and inability to arrest the people carrying out such attacks. They also criticized the “tall claims” of the provincial and federal governments of restoring writ in Balochistan.
They said that despite the Supreme Court’s (SC) orders, both the governments were not serious in making efforts to prevent sectarian attacks, and restore law and order in the restive province. The said the governments were merely using delaying tactics and verbal claims, further increasing the sense of insecurity among the people of province. Saadat Hazar, chieftain of the Hazara community, appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to take notice of the bloodshed of the community. The Balochistan Shia Conference announced a three-day-mourning in the province.
ANOTHER KILLED: Meanwhile, unidentified miscreants shot dead one person in Kaley Sardar Bangalazai area of Sariyab Road. The body was shifted to hospital for postmortem.