A province-wide shutter-down and wheel-jam strike was observed across Balochistan on Sunday against last week’s suicide bombing outside Quetta’s Shahwani Stadium, but the day was marred by police crackdowns and the arrest of several opposition political workers.
Markets, shops, and transport services remained closed in Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Nushki, Turbat, Pishin, Ziarat, Zhob, Sherani, Qila Saifullah, and other districts, with traffic in urban areas reduced to a minimum.
At a joint press conference, BNP Senior Vice President Sajid Tareen Advocate and ANP leader Asghar Khan Achakzai condemned the arrests and police shelling, saying that among those detained were Raheem Ziaratwal, Qahar Wadan, Malik Naseer Shahwani, and Sanaullah Kakar. They stressed that all protest activities were peaceful.
Sajid Tareen said the people of Balochistan had proved their commitment to genuine politics by participating in peaceful demonstrations. “The blood of our martyrs will not go in vain. All political parties are committed to non-violence and will never adopt the path of aggression,” he stated.
Political and social circles have expressed anger over the loss of 15 lives and 38 injuries in the Shahwani Stadium attack, urging authorities to launch a transparent investigation and bring the culprits
