Strike in Quetta over student’s kidnapping

QUETTA: A complete shutdown was observed in Quetta on Tuesday in protest against the kidnapping of a young school student from the Multani Mohalla area of the provincial capital.

The strike had been called by the Dharna Committee and the Traders Association. Traffic was notably reduced, although congestion in areas such as Pishin Stop and Kohla Phatak caused difficulties for residents. The strike brought business activities in central and suburban areas to a halt. Strict security measures were in place including tight monitoring at the city’s entry and exit points and continuous checks of suspicious individuals and vehicles. Security forces also intensified patrols across various neighbourhoods in the city. The strike received support from both political and religious groups.

Meanwhile, the father of the kidnapped child, Haji Raz Mohammad, expressed his distress at the Balochistan High Court, stating that five days had passed since his son Masoor Khan was abducted yet there was no information about him. He appealed to the chief of army staff for intervention to ensure his son’s recovery. He thanked the public for their support and clarified that he had not been contacted by the kidnappers. He said the next steps would be determined by the Dharna Committee.

Senior lawyer Munir Ahmed Kakar said progress reports were submitted in sealed envelopes to the Balochistan High Court, where judges expressed satisfaction with the updates. He mentioned recent incidents in the province involving loss of lives and property, leading to disciplinary action against local district officers.

Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s Provincial President Nasrullah Zarey criticized the government’s failure to act, pointing out that under the Constitution, every citizen had the fundamental right to protest. He highlighted a previous incident where another family member, Ismail Kakar, was killed inside his shop, followed by the recent abduction of the child and termed these actions unacceptable.