QUETTA, Feb 10 The business community observed a strike here on Wednesday in protest against the killing of Pakhtun and Baloch people in Karachi and incidents of target killings in Quetta.

The strike was called by Anjuman Tajran Balochistan and backed by Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Ideological), Jamaat-i-Islami and Shia Council.

Trade centres and shops on Jinnah road, Shara-i-Iqbal, Liaquat Bazaar, Prince road, Mission Bazaar, Suranganj Bazaar and Zarghoon road remained closed.

However, government offices and banks worked unaffected and traffic plied on roads as usual.

Protesting traders marched on different roads before holding a rally outside the press club. Abdur Rahim Kakar of Anjuman Tajran, Maulana Qadir Luni of JUI-I, Nasrullah Zeray of PkMAP, Jamaluddin Rushtiya of ANP and Dr Ishaq Baloch of NP spoke.

They said target killings, kidnappings for ransom and incidents of theft had become routine in Quetta and police had failed to protect life and property of citizens.