QUETTA, April 17 The business community observed a strike here on Saturday in protest against Friday's suicide bombing in a hospital which killed at least 11 people.

The community's strike call was supported by Anjuman Ittehad Tajiran, Hazara Democratic Party, Balochistan Shia Conference, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Awami National Party and Jamaat-i-Islami.

Many important shopping and trading centres in the city remained closed. All government and private educational institutions, including Balochistan University and Bolan Medical College, were also closed.

However, government offices and banks functioned as usual. Traffic on roads was thin.

Doctors of Sandeman civil hospital and Bolan Medical Complex also observed strike but tended to emergency cases.

Members of the Quetta Press Club, Balochistan Union of Journalists and Anjuman-i-Ittehad Akhbar Faroshan took out a procession and held a rally outside the press club where they were addressed by Rashid Baig, Abdur Rehman Achakzai, Abdul Khaliq, Isa Tareen, Yousuf Baloch, Younus Lehri and Aslam Lango.

The speakers condemned the suicide attack and vowed to continue discharging their duties despite difficulties.

They paid tribute to Mohammad Arif Malik, the cameraman of a private television channel who lost his life in the attack.

They called upon the government to arrest the people involved in the bombing.