Over 200 nabbed for defying lockdown orders in Quetta

Over 200 shopkeepers and traders were arrested by police in Quetta on Sunday for defying orders of the Balochistan government and opening their businesses including shops despite the imposed lockdown.

The traders opened shops, markets, shopping malls and other businesses in the morning even after Quetta’s deputy commissioner had strictly ordered to close down all business centres and markets in a bid to implement the proposed lock down.

Police along with the Frontier Corps and area magistrates conducted raids in the main city areas and forcibly closed down all major markets, shopping malls and bazaars and arrested shopkeepers and traders who offered resistance or refused to close their business.

After the action of law enforcement agencies, all the shops, markets and shopping malls were shut down and some were even sealed.

“Will not allow to open shops, markets and shopping malls and would implement on the orders of the home department regarding the proposed lockdown,” Deputy Commissioner of Quetta Aurangzeb Badini announced. After witnessing a substantial increase in people defying the provincial government’s lockdown orders, the police along with FC personnel have established check posts over a dozen entry points in the main city to stop people from entering the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2021.