A strike called by an all-parties alliance turned violent in Quetta today, leading to clashes between protesters and police, damage to public and private property, and hardship for ordinary citizens — particularly the poor.
The most heart-wrenching incident occurred on Jinnah Road, where enraged protesters destroyed a poor laborer’s rickshaw. The vehicle was his only source of income, and its loss has left his family devastated. “The biggest victims of such violent protests are always the poor,” said Member of the Balochistan Assembly, Mir Ali Madad Jatak, while condemning the incident.
Violence was reported in several parts of the city, including the Eastern Bypass, where multiple vehicles were vandalized. Protesters set tires ablaze and attempted to block major roads, severely disrupting the flow of traffic. In some areas, sounds of aerial firing added to the panic among citizens.
One of the major flashpoints was Brewery Road, where clashes erupted between police and protesters. According to law enforcement officials, tear gas shelling and aerial firing were used to disperse the crowd. “Strict action is being taken against those who are taking the law into their own hands,” said a police spokesperson.
Despite the strike call, public response remained limited. Most markets and public centers across Quetta stayed open, indicating that the call for a complete wheel-jam and shutter-down strike failed to gain significant traction among the general public. Similar calls were made for shutdowns across other districts of Balochistan, but the turnout was sparse.
In Kalat, police successfully foiled an attempt by BNP leaders and allied political workers to block the national highway at Mughalzai. Officers swiftly removed roadblocks and restored traffic, arresting several political figures involved in the attempted disruption.
Mir Ali Madad Jatak labeled the strike a failure, saying that “the leadership abandoned their workers and left them to face the consequences alone.”
