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       QUETTA: A strike was observed in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan on Wednesday in protest against the registration of cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act by the federal government in Islamabad against Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) leaders, including party president Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

       The Islamabad police have arrested the party’s former MPAs Akhtar Hussian Langove and Shafi Mengal after registering an FIR under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

       The strike call was given by BNP-M and other political parties, including PTI, the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, National Party, Hazara Democratic Party, JUI-Sherani, JUI-N and Jamhoori Wattan Party. The Anjuman-i-Tajran also supported the strike to express their solidarity with the protesters.

       In Quetta, all shops, business centres and markets remained closed. However, hotels, medical stores and bakeries were allowed to remain open.

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       However, a partial strike was observed in other areas of Quetta, including Spinny Road, Shahbaz Town, Jinnah Town and Western Bypass, with some traders keeping their shops open throughout the day.

       All big and small business centres in Quetta, Surab, Noshki, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kharan, Panjgur, Zhob and Qila Saifullah remained shut.

       Traffic was thin on the roads in Quetta and other towns as people preferred not to bring their vehicles on the road.

       BNP-Mengal leaders criticised the federal government for registering cases against the party leadership on ‘fake charges’.

       They said that the people of the province have rejected the cases and said such actions by the federal and provincial governments are unacceptable.

       They warned that such actions against party leaders would only aggravate the situation and increase grievances against the government.

       Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2024