By Amanullah Kasi
QUETTA: Kalat closed on Friday in protest against Thursday’s acid attack on three sisters. The strike was observed on a call given by Baloch nationalist parties.
At Mangochar, protesters blocked the National Highway which connects Quetta with Karachi.
Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Balochistan National Front, National Party, Balochistan National Party-Awami, the three factions of Baloch Students Organisation and tribal elders condemned the heinous assault in which Sakina, Saima and Fatima suffered serious burn injuries.
Baloch nationalist groups blamed ‘hidden hands’ for crimes against women and demanded that culprits should be brought to book and punished.
They said that spraying innocent women with acid was a conspiracy to project the Baloch as conservative people.
Federal Minister Mir Israrullah Zehri who hails from the area accused police and intelligence personnel of not taking adequate action to prevent such attacks, the first having taken place in Dalbandin.
In Quetta, a demonstration was held in protest against the acid attack and kidnapping of Hindu traders for ransom.
Addressing the protesters outside the press club, Habib Jalib Baloch accused intelligence agencies of carrying out acid attacks on women and distributing pamphlets in the name of a fictitious organisation to create panic among women and defame the Baloch.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/1/2010
