One young protester was killed, about 26 others were injured and UN offices, banks and government buildings were ransacked by Afghan refugees and activists of militant organisations in Quetta yesterday following U.S. air raids on Afghanistan.
The riots across Quetta city began early yesterday morning, following calls for an uprising made from pro-Taliban religious schools and mosques immediately after the air raids on Sunday night.
By 11 am yesterday, the entire city was in the grip of violent mobs that forced all government departments to shut.
Riot police used tear gas and live bullets to disperse the mobs and drive them out of the main city centre.
Hundreds of tear gas shells and bullets were fired at rioters in which one person was killed and a dozen others were injured.
The mobs torched the regional UNHCR and Unicef offices, and also stoned the regional office of the World Food Programme. However, none of the staff members were injured as the security forces soon evacuated them.
The police arrested about 100 Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam militants in Quetta. Raids were also made late on Sunday night to arrest some key young JUI activists.
A young protester was killed on the spot at Mizan Chowk, the main market palace, after he was hit by a bullet fired by the Balochistan Reserve Police.
The 20-year-old victim, identified as Haji Mohammed and believed to be a student from a local religious school was among a stone-throwing mob.
About a dozen others, including three policemen and an advocate, were injured and taken to Quetta Civil Hospital. Among the injured was a senior police officer, Shareef Buzdar.
The mobs, mainly Afghan refugees according to the police and residents, torched and damaged at least 10 government vehicles and four private cars in the provincial capital, which remained tense throughout the day.
They also torched a fire brigade station along with a fire-fighting vehicle and ransacked and set ablaze the city police station, injuring two policemen.
On the main Jinnah Road in the heart of Quetta, the mob ransacked a travel agency, damaging all the furniture and the computers.
At least six banks were damaged and set ablaze on Jinnah Road and in Kandahari Bazaar.
Angry mobs ransacked a branch of the National Bank and made away with Rs 7 million. They set on fire branches of Habib Bank Limited and United Bank Limited in Kandahari Bazaar. At least three cinema halls – Imdad, Paradise and Capri – were set ablaze for showing American films.
Bukhari Plaza, a shopping complex near Jinnah Road, was ransacked and torched by anti-U.S. and anti-Musharraf slogan-chanting rioters.
The entire police force of the provincial capital and BRP forces with their armoured vehicles were out on the streets and continued to fight the mob.
There were also incidents of beating up those wearing jeans and trousers in Satellite Town, Joint Road and Bypass, where some of the old refugee camps are located.
A group of rioters tried to approach and attack Serena Hotel in the heart of the military cantonment area, where over a hundred foreign journalists are staying.
Some protesters even attempted to climb the hotel boundary wall to get in, but were arrested. The rest were pushed back by a strong contingent of security forces present.
Rallies were held and business suspended in the nearby border cities of Chaman and Kalat, Mastung, Pashin, Zhob, Qila Abdullah and Gulistan. No violence was reported.
