| And a wonderful time was had by all, except for the dead guys and the kid who was shot in the eye. |
QUETTA/KARACHI: Two rangers were killed in Karachi in a strike across Balochistan and in Karachi on the call of the ARD, the MMA and the four-party Baloch National Alliance to protest the killing of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti. The strike paralysed provincial routine as business centres, shops, educational institutions and government offices remained shut and angry protesters blocked all highways connecting Balochistan to other provinces. | “The protesters burnt tyres and shouted anti-government slogans and there were reports that some protesters burnt the Pakistani flag...” |
Large police contingents patrolled the city all day long while several Baloch leaders and students were arrested for involvement in protests. While the ARD leaders claimed that the strike was successful, Raziq Bugti, spokesman for the Balochistan government, said the strike had failed as most shops were closed because of Friday prayers.
In Panjgur, protesters set ablaze the offices of union councils of Essai and Khudabadan, a public library and three shops owned by Punjabis. Men opened fire on the DPOÂ’s office and also damaged a PTV tower.
| “A journalist told Daily Times that the city echoed with gunshots throughout the day while protesters attacked a madrassa and injured two students...” |
In Karachi, two Rangers were killed and 15 people including a town police officer were injured during a successful citywide strike. Rangers SI Misri Khan and Lance Naik Ghulam Abbas were returning to Malir when they were shot dead. Keamari TPO Athar Rasheed Butt was injured in a clash in Lyari and an 8-year-old boy was shot in the eye in the same area. There were violent strikes in Landhi, Malir, Memon Goth, Chakra Goth, Jamshed Road, Old Golimar, Lasbela, Pak Colony, Dalmia and SITE. More than 60 people were detained during the course of the day.
Several couples who stayed at beach huts at Hawkesbay, Sandspit and Paradise Point on Thursday night were unable to reach home as Hawkesbay Road was closed off by protesters. When some of the couples ventured out they faced an angry mob and several of their cars were damaged. There were partial strikes in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad and Peshawar amid tight security while business was routine in Mirpur Khas and Lahore, where the business community and transporters rejected the oppositionÂ’s strike call.