QUETTA: Sibi town remained shut on Friday in protest against the postponement of a week-long Sibi festival, scheduled to begin on Feb 23.

The provincial government, due to security concerns, had to postpone the cultural and traditional week-long celebrations.

The strike call was given by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakh­tun­khwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Sibi Youth Ittehad and Bal­ochistan Malder (Cattle) Association.

All markets, shopping centres and plazas, business centres and private banks remained closed through­out the day. Traffic was also thin as maj­ority of vehicles remained off the roads.

Circus and livestock owners and their workers joined in the protest and marched on thoroughfares while raising slogans against the postponement of the Sibi week.

Leaders of all protesting parties said that the move gave the impression as if the government was unable to provide security.

The PTI’s Mir Babar Marghazani said that this would encourage terrorist organisations as they would take it as the weakness of the government.

The leaders called it an ‘economic murder’ of producers and other stakeholders who had reached Sibi along with their bag and baggage.

They said the government should reconsider its decision and if it was not capable of providing security then it should hand over security arrangements to the Pakistan Army and Frontiers Corps.

Ali Jan Mangi from Dera Murad Jamali adds: A tribal leader of the Dombki, Balaach Khan Dombki, criticised the government for postponing the Sibi festival. He too was of the opinion that the government’s move would financially hit thousands of families producing livestock who sold their products during the festival.

“The Sibi festival is a true reflection of Baloch culture and tradition,” Mir Balaach Domki said, adding that Sardar Chakar Khan Rind had started the festival in view of its economic and cultural importance.

He called upon the government to announce a fresh date for the Sibi festival as it would give livestock traders of Balochistan and Sindh a financial cushion.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2017