QUETTA: A strike was observed in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan on the Chehlum of victims who died during the bombing at Civil Hospital on Saturday.
Awami National Party (ANP) had given the call of a shutter down strike to mourn the killing of members from the legal fraternity, journalists and civilians.
The call was backed by Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) (BNP-Mengal), Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-Awami), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Ideological (JUI-Ideological) and traders community.
All markets, shopping centers and shops were closed in Quetta city as shopkeepers had closed their businesses to mourn the killings.
"People willingly closed down their businesses," President ANP Balochistan Asghar Khan Achakzai said. He also thanked the masses for their support.
Flow of traffic was also thin on the main thoroughfares and roads of the provincial capital.
Besides Quetta, a strike was also observed in Chaman, Pishin, Killa Saifullah, Zhob, Loralai, Kuchlak, Ziarat and other parts of Balochistan.
In Quetta, groups of political workers, friends and colleagues visited the residences of the victims to express sympathies with the family members.
Judges of the Balochistan High Courtalso visited the residence of slain lawyer Dawood Kasi Advocate and expressed sympathies with his father.
The provincial government had adopted strict security measures to ensure peace on the eve of chehlum.
Besides police and levies, personnel of the Frontier Corps were also deployed in various parts of Quetta and other cities to ensure peace.