QUETTA: Trade and business activities in the city remained suspended on Friday in response to a strike call given by Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) and Balochistan Shia Conference (BSC) to protest the killing of eight people in the attack at the Hazarganji vegetable market the previous day.

Trade and shopping centres on the Jinnah road, Shahrah-i-Iqbal, Liaquat Bazaar, Mission Road, Prince Road, Alamdar Road, Marriabad, Kirani Road, and Hazara Town remained closed.

Lawyers boycotted court proceedings on the call of Balochistan Bar Association to condemn the Hazarganji market incident and the suicide attack on Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

In separate statements issued here on Friday, HDP and BSC thanked traders and political groups for extending cooperation for observing a successful strike against the killings.

The two parties criticised the government and law-enforcement agencies for “failing to protect the lives of people”.

They said because there was no punishment perpetrators were now killing people in broad daylight without any fear.

They called upon the government to take stern action against people involved in the killing of innocent people and provide protection to Hazara people.

Published in Dawn, October 25th , 2014