Shutter-down strike observed in Quetta to protest raid conducted at PKMAP chief's residence

QUETTA: A shutter-down strike was observed in Pakistan's Quetta city on Tuesday to protest against the raid conducted at Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai's residence, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. The business community in Quetta supported the strike call given by PKMAP leaders. Business establishments remained closed in Quetta throughout the day.

All shops, markets, shopping plazas, and business establishments in key areas like Mission, Zarghoon Road, Masjid Road, Fatima Jinnah Road, Price Road, Liaquat Bazaar, Toghi Road, and other main business districts in Quetta remained closed. Private banks also remained closed, resulting in the suspension of banking services and causing inconvenience to people.

Bank officials, cited security reasons for the closure of banks and said that staff was present inside the banks, according to Dawn report. Some shops initially opened in Quetta in the morning. However, the owners later closed the shops as PkMAP workers and supporters patrolled the main areas of the city. Even shops on the outskirts of Quetta also remained closed.

The local administration deployed a hevy contingent of police and other law enforcement agencies. However, no incidents have been reported during the shutter-down strike in Quetta. On Monday, PKMAP held a rally against the raid at its chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai's residence in Quetta, Dawn reported. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has named Achakzai as its presidential candidate and condemned the raid.

The Quetta district administration has said that during the raid, it has recovered a piece of government-owned land, "illegally occupied" by Achakzai. However, PKMAP refuted the administration's allegations that Achakzai had illegally occupied the government land. A large number of workers and supporters, carrying party flags, placards and banners, participated in the rally.

PKMAP central leaders Hamid Khan Achakzai, Lala Rauf and Abdul Qahar Wadan led the rally against the raid carried out on Achakzai. The participants of the rally gathered at the Bacha Khan Chowk, where PKMAP addressed the crowd. They condemned raid on the Achakzai's residence and said he was targeted for his speech in Pakistan's National Assembly, according to Dawn report. The participants of the rally further said that Achakzai as a presidential candidate and deserves presidential protocol rather than raids on his residence.

PKMAP said that the land was legally allotted and has complete documentation. PKMAP leaders said that the district administration wanted "to shed blood." However, the restraint shown by the party foiled the plan of administration. Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament House on Monday, PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan condemned the raid at Achakzai's home.

He said PTI is supporting Aschakzai as its presidential candidate to eliminate the establishment's role in politics, according to Dawn report. Ali Muhammad Khan said, "The nation and PTI stand by the armed forces, but we have a stance that the country should be run as per the Constitution," adding that Achakzai also has the same stance.