QUETTA: Personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC) had to be called in to maintain law and order in the provincial capital after fierce clashes erupted between police and angry mob following the killing of Chairman Hazara Democratic Party (HDP) Hussain Ali Yousufi here on Monday.
Yousufi, who was running a travel agency on the Dr Bano Road, was entering his office at 10:30am when some unidentified gunmen sprayed bullets on him with automatic weapons. He sustained multiple bullet injuries. The armed men, however, escaped from the scene.
Yousufi was shifted to the Civil Hospital where he breathed his last, hospital sources said. The incident created tension in Quetta and the administration had to deploy several contingents of the FC and police to clam down the situation and prevent the violent reaction.
At least thirteen people were injured when clashes among angry protestors, police and traders took place on the Shahra-e-Iqbal and Jinnah Road. The traders and protestors used weapons and pelted stones at each other. Police had to use teargas to disperse the angry mob.
The protesters torched several vehicles, motorcycles and a bank on the Jinnah Road. Four vehicles, a commercial bank and two motorcycles were set ablaze as clashes continued for several hours.
A senior police official said paramilitary troops and heavy contingents of police were deployed in the city to restore law and order. After several hours, fire fighters reached the spot and put out the fire. All business centres and markets were closed. The angry protesters blocked the Jinnah Road and smashed windowpanes of dozen of vehicles.
The law enforcement agencies also set up check-posts at various places in an effort to apprehend the culprits involved in the killing of the HDP chairman. Police claimed to have arrested 21 suspects, including three activists of a banned religious organization, on charges of killing the HDP chairman.
Hundreds of people of the Hazara community also reached the hospital and strongly protested the killing. General Secretary HDP Abdul Khaliq Hazara announced observance of 40-day mourning over the assassination of the party chairman.
Addressing a press at the hospital, Abdul Khaliq Hazara refused to accept the condolence and word of sympathy from the provincial government. He said they were running a political party and spreading democratic culture through its platform. “We would not deviate from our struggle and keep on our mission following this incident,” he maintained. He appealed to the traders to observe a shutter down strike on Tuesday to protest the killing of Yousufi.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani condoled the killing of HDP’s chairman. In their separate condolence messages, they strongly condemned the killing.
AFP adds: The banned extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) claimed responsibility for the killing in a telephone call to the local press club. “We claim responsibility for this attack,” said the caller, who identified himself as Ali Haider, a purported LJ spokesman.
