QUETTA - A shutterdown strike was observed in Mastung and other towns of Balochistan on Saturday against killing of Rasheed Baloch and his associate Shah Jahan in search operation carried out by FC in Mastung district.
Baloch National Front (BNF) had given the strike call to protest what it said violation of sanctity of residences by security forces under pretext of a search operation targeting miscreants. Rasheed Shahwani, a commander of banned BLA, and his comrade were allegedly killed in a search operation on Friday in Mastung after a long firefight with FC and two other members were arrested with huge cache of arms and ammunition.
All markets, shops and business centres remained closed in Mastung, Kharan, Kalat and other towns of Balochistan while traffic plying on the road was also thin. Local administration had taken strict security measures to avoid any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, Baloch Human Rights Organization (BHRO) on Saturday staged a protest demonstration outside Quetta Press Club against the ongoing operation in Mastung and Mashkay.
The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans. Addressing the protesters, leaders of Baloch Human Rights Organization said 25 vehicles of FC launched operation in Perkano area, a locality of Mastung, and allegedly martyred Abdul Rasheed Baloch and Shah Jahan Baloch. They also accused the FC of injuring Fida Baloch, younger brother of Abdul Rasheed Baloch, and two other women in firing. They alleged that forces picked up another youth, Nasir Baloch, and took him away.
Protesters said attacking residences and harassing women were sheer violations of human rights and regretted that media and human rights organizations had kept mum over this injustice. They said after the martyrdom of women and children in Mashkay operation, the human rights’ violation in Mastung, international human rights groups should play their role to end excesses in Balochistan against Balochs.
They said more than 550 bullet-riddled and decomposed bodies of Baloch youths had been recovered from different parts of Balochistan during last two years but the media was deliberately not focusing on the these atrocities. Demonstrators dispersed peacefully after the protest.