Armed Men Set Up Checkpoint on Quetta-Karachi Highway; Sardar Ali Mohammad Qalandrani and Maulana Manzoor Ahmed Mengal Released After Interrogation
Quetta: Tension gripped parts of **Khuzdar district** after armed men established an **unauthorized checkpoint** on the **RCD Highway (Quetta-Karachi route)** and began stopping vehicles for snap checking on Thursday. The blockade lasted for nearly **four hours**, during which several vehicles were searched, causing a complete halt to traffic on the key highway.
According to sources, the convoy of **Sardar Ali Mohammad Qalandrani**, chief of the Qalandrani tribe and a member of the **central council of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI)**, was stopped at the checkpoint. His guards were **temporarily detained**, and their **weapons and vehicles were thoroughly inspected**.
During the same period, the convoy of **Maulana Manzoor Ahmed Mengal** also arrived at the scene. He too was **briefly questioned** and released after a short investigation.
The incident caused **major traffic disruption** and inconvenience to commuters traveling between Quetta and Karachi, though **no injuries or clashes** were reported. Authorities are reportedly investigating the motive behind the incident and the identity of the armed group involved.
