A widespread strike by transporters, business owners, and coal mine operators brought parts of Balochistan to a standstill on Thursday, protesting the worsening security situation and frequent assaults on national highways.
The protest, organized jointly by the Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), transport federations, and coal mine associations, resulted in the closure of key commercial markets and severely hampered inter-district transportation in Quetta and neighboring districts.
Initiated on June 11, the strike is set to continue indefinitely until both provincial and federal authorities guarantee enhanced security measures for commercial transit routes.
Transporters highlighted the growing threats from militancy, extortion, and targeted attacks on cargo vehicles, which have rendered trade unsustainable in the resource-rich yet economically challenged province.
They pointed to recent incidents where armed groups stopped cargo trucks on national highways, forcibly removed drivers, and set the vehicles ablaze. The BCCI emphasized that ongoing insecurity along vital supply routes connecting Balochistan with Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan has nearly halted trading activities.
The strike has attracted considerable support, with multiple regional and national political parties expressing solidarity with the business community.
Protesters are demanding the immediate deployment of additional paramilitary forces and the creation of secure corridors along vulnerable highway sections to ensure safe passage for goods.
A local transport union representative stated, “Our trucks are being burned, and our traders face daily threats. We cannot resume normal operations until the government fulfills its fundamental duty to safeguard our lives and property on these roads.”
Meanwhile, provincial officials confirmed ongoing discussions with BCCI leaders to develop a security framework aimed at ending the strike, which threatens to disrupt supply chains to major mining and industrial areas.
