Sectarian killings: Quetta mourns with shutter-down strike
The Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) had given the strike call, which was supported by the Tahafuz Azadari Council, Tehreek Nifaz-e-Jafferia, Balochistan Shia Conference and major political parties.
All business centres and shopping plazas on Jinnah Road, Abdul Sattar Road, Kansi Road, Alamdar Road, Toghi Road, Brewery Road, Mission Road, McChangi Road, Prince Road, Liaqut Bazaar, Fatima Jinnah Road, Masjid Road and other neighbourhoods of the city remained closed.
Routine life was at standstill as transporters kept their vehicles off the roads for fear of violence. The city wore a deserted look as residents preferred to stay indoors.
Heavy contingents of police, paramilitary Frontier Corps, Balochistan Constabulary, Anti-Terrorist Force and other law-enforcement agencies were deployed at different places in the city to maintain order.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Saturday’s drive-by shooting incidents rose to eight after one of the injured person succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. He was identified as Qasim Ali.
Gunmen riding motorcycles sprayed bullets on two bus stops in the Hazar Ganji neighbourhood of Quetta within a span of one and a half hour, killing eight people and injuring many more.
The targeted shootings sparked violent protests in different parts of the city as members of the Hazara community vented their anger at the government for its failure to stem the tide of sectarian violence.
The banned sectarian organisation, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), claimed responsibility for the attacks and warned that it would now target police officials in the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2012.
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Shuter down shows that the people of Balochistan does not approve of violence. But what next. Another shutter down and followed by another. The solution lies not in shutter down but in actions by all of us. 1. Courts should refuse to take the cases of terrorists because they are a threat to them. 2. Lawyers should not defend the terrorists in the courts. 3. Police should show spine and prepare for sacrifices. 4. Para Military Forces should ruthlessly eliminate them without being questioned. 5. Intelligence agencies should publish the photos and Lists of terrorists. 6. Molvies should stop accomodating them in Mosques. 7. Bureaucracy should stop stealing and let the money flow to the development of the projects of collective benifit. 8. Politicians should show maturity. 9. Media should stop covering the terrorists side of the stories. 10. List item