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       QUETTA: A complete shutdown was observed in the provincial capital on Tuesday in protest against the kidnapping of an 11-year-old student, as authorities have failed to trace his whereabouts despite the passage of five days.

       The strike was jointly called by the sit-in committee and traders’ association in solidarity with the family of the kidnapped child. Several political parties also backed the strike. The business community closed their establishments throughout the day.

       All major markets, bazaars, shopping plazas, and business centres remained closed.

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       Traffic was light, with most residents opting to keep their vehicles off the streets. However, students and government employees faced difficulties due to the shutdown and roadblocks, particularly the closure of Zarghoon Road where protesters had set up a sit-in at Unity Chowk.

       Strict security measures were enforced, including enhanced monitoring at entry and exit points and continuous checking of individuals and vehicles.

       Meanwhile, Haji Raz Mohammad, the father of the kidnapped child, expressed his distress at the Balochistan High Court, regretting that five days had passed since his son was abducted. Yet there was no information about his whereabouts.

       He appealed to the army chief to intervene for his son’s safe return.

       He thanked the public for their support and dismissed rumours of communication with the kidnappers, calling them baseless. He said future steps would be decided by the sit-in committee.

       Throughout the day, lawyers and political leaders visited the sit-in camp to express their solidarity with the family of the missing student.

       Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2024