QUETTA: Several demonstrators, including women and children, blocked the Karachi-Quetta Highway (N-25) near Kalat on Tuesday, protesting the alleged abduction of Syed Agha Hussain Shah and his son, Syed Akhtar Shah.

The protest caused severe traffic disruption, leaving hundreds of vehicles and thousands of passengers stranded for hours.

Residents of the Esakaloo area in Kalat district began their protest early in the morning, demanding the immediate release of Syed Agha Hussain Shah, a respected elder, his son and other missing persons. Protesters insisted that if there were any allegations against the detained individuals, they should be brought before a court of law.

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The demonstrators vowed to continue their protest until the missing persons were recovered or their whereabouts disclosed.

The protest continued as efforts by district administration officials, including Kalat’s additional deputy commissioner, Dr Dost Mohammad Lango, SHO Habib Babai and Additional SHO Mir Nazir Ahmed Umrani,

to negotiate with the protesters were unsuccessful. The protesters refused to back down, maintaining their demand for the immediate release of the missing individuals.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2024