Lahore/Karachi/Peshawar, February 8 Balochistan experienced a partial shutdown on Sunday, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh provinces responded with a mixed reaction to a protest call by Pakistan's opposition to mark the anniversary of what they termed "a rigged February 8, 2024 general election."
The call for a complete shutdown and traffic strike was issued by Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aain Pakistan (TTAP), a united front of all opposition political parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, led by incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan.
Following the February 8, 2024 general election, Khan had accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of "stealing the mandate," alleging that they manipulated the results to gain power.
TTAP leaders called for a nationwide shutdown and traffic strike on Sunday.
Life was disrupted in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, and other parts of the province, with all markets closed and public transport suspended, according to Hafiz Ziaullah, a senior member of the Jamiat Ulema Fazlur Rahman group in Balochistan.
The government ordered heavy deployment of police and the Frontier Corps, as supporters of various component parties of the TTAP movement staged demonstrations at multiple locations, blocking highways and main roads leading into and out of Quetta.
Several protesters were arrested during clashes with law enforcement agencies, further escalating tensions, police said.
Balochistan experienced widespread violence when at least 216 terrorists, 36 civilians, and 22 security personnel were killed in the days-long operation launched on January 26 in response to terror attacks in the province.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Khan's PTI is the ruling party, his followers also demanded the release of incarcerated leaders, but received a lukewarm response across the province.
In Peshawar, the situation remained tense in various parts of the city, but overall conditions remained under control, police said.
The call for a shutdown received a mixed response from traders and the public. While some shops remained closed, business activities continued as usual in several localities.
Local media reports indicated that in certain areas, shops were forcibly closed during the strike, causing concern among residents.
Despite this, the Peshawar shutdown failed to achieve complete success, as a large number of traders did not support the call, and routine commercial activities continued partially, a party leader said.
However, even when public movement in the city's major commercial centers was restricted, it was not entirely suspended, the administration stated, adding that strict security measures were in place during the shutdown protests and no major incidents were reported.
In Punjab, the TTAP and PTI failed to make a significant impact, as the three-day Basant festival (February 6 and 8) in Lahore, announced by the provincial government, overshadowed the protest calls.
Apparently sensing the mood of the people, especially those from Lahore, due to the Basant festivities, the PTI Punjab had on Saturday urged its supporters to "suspend outdoor activities and stay home as a form of silent protest."
However, the party had called upon traders and transporters to shut markets and transport, but even on a Sunday, a weekly holiday in Punjab, almost all establishments remained open.
"Punjab police detained over 100 PTI supporters on Saturday and Sunday in connection with the PTI protest," an official told
He said that the police also intervened to prevent torch-bearing rallies organized by PTI supporters in various parts of the province.
Maryam Aurangzeb, Punjab Senior Minister, stated that the people of Lahore celebrated the Basant festival with enthusiasm and rejected the protest call. "It was a successful Basant and a failed PTI attempt," she said in a statement.
Aliya Hamza, PTI Punjab chief organiser, condemned the Punjab police for arresting PTI workers and harassing families during the police raid.
Salman Akram Raja, PTI secretary general, said in a post on X: "No tyrant can compare to 250 million. This is a day of mourning over the stolen vote and terrorism in Balochistan and Islamabad."
Shafi Jan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister's Special Assistant for Information and Public Relations, stated that the successful wheel-jam and shutdown strike across the country was a public referendum against governments that had stolen the mandate.
"Two years ago, the people gave an overwhelming mandate to PTI founder chairman Imran Khan, but unfortunately, this public mandate was stolen, and puppet rulers were imposed on the people in the federation, Punjab, Balochistan, and Sindh," he said.
Sunday's successful wheel-jam and shutdown strike is the first clear step and message of the public toward the end of fake governments, Jan said.
