In a powerful display of collective mourning and protest, six opposition parties in Balochistan have enforced a complete wheel-jam and shutter-down strike across the province today. This decisive action comes as a response to the devastating suicide attack that struck a public gathering of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) at Quetta’s Shahwani Stadium on September 2nd. The strike aims to vehemently condemn the act of terrorism that shook the region.
The decision for the widespread shutdown was solidified during a meeting of the opposing political factions, which included the BNP-Mengal, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), National Party, and Tehreek Tahaffuz-i-Aain-i-Pakistan. The attack had occurred moments after key leaders, including Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Mehmood Khan Achakzai, had departed the venue, narrowly avoiding the blast.
The strike is set to severely disrupt daily life and commerce. Opposition leaders have declared that all intercity roads, highways, and access routes to Quetta’s airport and railway station will be blocked. Furthermore, other airports within the province will be shut down, suspending all air travel. The protestors have actively distributed pamphlets to garner public support for the closure.
The call for a strike has received overwhelming backing from key sectors of society. Transporters and trader organizations, including the provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have vowed their full cooperation, ensuring businesses remain closed in solidarity with the victims. While government schools have not made an official announcement, the Private Schools Association has confirmed that all private educational institutions will remain closed for the day.
