QUETTA - A shutter-down strike was observed here on Friday on the call of Hazara Democratic Party and Balochistan Shia Conference against the Hazar Ganji attack in which nine vegetable vendors were killed.
The Balochistan Bar Association also announced to boycott court proceedings to protest Thursday’s blasts and incidents of violence in the city.
Shops and businesses in several areas, including Alamdar Road and Mission Road, remained closed due to the strike. A protest rally was taken out after Friday prayers by the JUI-F against the suicide attack which targeted Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Security was heightened in Quetta following incidents of violence with deployment of police and Balochistan Constabulary at several locations.
At least 13 people were killed in three separate attacks in the provincial capital on Thursday; nine fruit vendors were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire on a minibus in Hazar Ganji, two killed in a blast on Qambrani Road and two more in a suicide blast targeting Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Meanwhile, police detained 25 suspects in connection with the Hazar Ganji and suicide attack targeting the JUI-F chief. SSP Investigation Asad Shah said the suicide attack was being investigated, adding DNA samples of the attacker had been sent for testing.
The city police have registered a case against unknown terrorists for the attack on Fazlur Rehman. Maulana Fazl fortunately narrowly escaped the blast but three of his party workers were killed and 20 others injured.
Anti-terrorism clauses were also incorporated in the case.
Thursday proved to be a deadly day in Quetta in which a total of 14 people were killed and over 40 were injured in two major incidents of terrorism.