QUETTA: A complete shutter-down strike was observed in Kalat on Saturday, condemning the kidnapping of three Hindu traders. The traders were kidnapped at the Jiwa Intersection of RCD Highway in Surab tehsil, some 140 miles away from the provincial capital, eight days ago. The Hindu traders were identified as Denesh Kumar, Retesh Kumar and Rathan Kumar. They were on their way from Khuzdar to Kalat in a passenger wagon, when unidentified armed men intercepted the van and whisked them away, presumably for ransom money. The strike call was given by the All Parties Citizen Action committee and the Hindu Punchyat and was supported by the traders’ unions.



Published in The Express Tribune, August 5th, 2012.