QUETTA: Life in Quetta and several other district headquarters of the province was affected by a partial strike observed on Wednesday to mark the third death anniversary of veteran Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti.
The founder of Jamhoori Watan Party was killed in a military action in Tartani mountains of Kohlu in 2006.
In Quetta, all trade and business centres remained closed and traffic was thin. However, government offices and banks functioned as usual. Lawyers boycotted court proceedings.
A spokesman for the Baloch Bar Association said that lawyers boycotted courts in several towns of the province.
There was no traffic on the National Highways between Quetta and Karachi and Quetta and Taftan between 7am and 5pm.
Activists of Jamhoori Watan Party-Aali wanted to stage a demonstration outside the press club but police and FC personnel stopped them near the civil court.
Section 144 was imposed in the city and heavy contingents of police and FC personnel were deployed in sensitive areas. However, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the city.
The strike call was jointly given by both factions of the Jamhoori Watan Party, Baloch National Front, Anjuman Ittehad Marri, Balochistan National Party-Mengal, National Party, Baloch Bar Association and the three groups of Baloch Students Organisations.
A statement issued by BNF’s secretary general Sadiq Raisani claimed that a complete strike was observed in Nushki, Dalbandin, Taftan, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Awaran, Hub, Kharan, Panjgur, Gwadar, Pasni, Turbat, Mand, Tump and Sibi.
He thanked people, traders and transporters for making the strike successful. He said that around 100 workers of his party had been arrested in Nushki, Mastung, Khuzdar, Hub, Turbat, Panjgur and Awaran.
Mr Raisani said that arrests and atrocities would not force ‘freedom fighters’ to give up their struggle. He condemned the killing of Nawab Bugti, Balaach Marri and hundreds of Baloch political workers in the military operation.
In Dera Murad Jamali and Dera Allahyar, political workers took out processions and raised slogans against the government.
Addressing the protesters, speakers said that the late Nawab Bugti wanted provincial autonomy for Balochistan and vowed to accomplish his mission.
They said that anti-Baloch forces had failed to suppress the political movement launched by Nawab Bugti.
Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti, the chief of his own faction of Jamhoori Watan Party, said in a statement that his party would continue its struggle against ‘oppressors’ and to protect the coast and resources of Balochistan.
* Shutdown in Balochistan to mourn Bugti, 10 killed
Islamabad, Aug 26 (PTI) At least 10 people were killed in sporadic violence as life in most parts of Pakistan's restive southwestern Balochistan province was hit today by a strike called to mark the third death anniversary of nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, who died in a military operation.
Shops were closed and traffic stayed off the roads due to the shutdown called by Bugti's Jamhoori Watan Party and Baloch National Front. It was backed by other Baloch nationalist parties. Special prayers were also organised for Bugti, former governor and chief minister of the energy-rich province.
Gunmen belonging to an unknown group ambushed a security check point and tried to blow up a gas pipeline near Jafarabad last night, the Geo news reported. In a gun battle, security forces killed seven of the attackers and captured as many.
Three hurt in Quetta grenade attack
QUETTA: At least three persons sustained injuries in a hand-thrown bomb attack on Jattak Bus Stop here in Satellite Town late on Wednesday, Geo news reported.
According to police sources, unknown miscreants threw a hand grenade on a tailoring shop located on Jattak Bus Stop, which went off with a loud explosion, injuring three persons who were shifted to hospital for medical aid.
The injured persons were later identified as Raza, Muhammad Karamat and Abid Hussain while police have kicked off investigation into the incident, police sources said.
Bugti’s 3rd anniversary observed
QUETTA—A shutter-down and wheel-jammed strike was observed on Wednesday throughout Balochistan on the third death anniversary of head of Jamhoor Wattan Party (JWP) Nawab Akbar Bugti. Quran Khawani was arranged at several places and there have been reports of scattered incidents of violence. Bugti was killed on Aug 26, 2006, along with a number of his body guards and associates during an operation by the security forces in mountainous range of Kohlu, he was hiding to avoid detention by security forces. The JWP and Baloch National Front had given the strike call whereas other Balcoh nationalist parties also supported the call.—Agencies
http://dailymailnews.com/0908/27/Brief/Brief1.php
Gas pipeline blown up
DERA BUGTI: Unidentified men blew up a gas pipeline of the Loti gas field in Dera Bugti district on Wednesday, police said. The pipeline supplied gas to the Loti Purification Plant from a well and was blown up with explosive charges. Pakistan Petroleum Limited sources said their team was repairing the damage. Meanwhile, militants fired nine rockets from the mountains surrounding the Sui airport. However, no damage was reported. Police have registered both cases and started investigations. app
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default. ... 827story_27-8-2009_pg7_14
3 die in target killings: Shutters down on Bugti’s death anniversary
By Malik Siraj Akbar
QUETTA: Baloch national parties observed a “black day” in addition to a shutter down strike on the third death anniversary of Nawab Muhammad Akbar Khan Bugti, former chief minister and governor of the province.
All businesses, public and private institutions were shut down following the Balochistan National Front’s call for a shutter down and wheel-jam strike. The government deployed 5,000 policemen and Frontier Corps personnel to ensure peace. The government also imposed Section 144 restrictions on assembly, preventing the Jamhoori Watan Party from staging a protest rally in front of the Quetta Press Club. Despite the increased security measures, there were several reports of violence, including a clash between security forces and armed terrorists near Jaffarabad and Sui. Separately, at least three Punjabis were killed and three others critically injured on Wednesday evening in a targeted killing claimed by the Baloch Liberation United Front at Quetta’s Jinnah Road.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default. ... 9827story_27-8-2009_pg7_6
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