Businesses and transport shut down in Balochistan. Bazaars and offices were closed in the provincial capital Quetta and other cities and towns while buses were off the roads and pickets struck private cars on highways, witnesses said.
The general strike raised tensions amid a bloody revolt by tribesmen and nationalists in Balochistan who are demanding greater rights and economic benefits from the region's huge oil and gas reserves.
"We called the strike because we are opposed to colonisation of the land of minority nationalities," said PONM leader Sannaullah Baloch.
Violence broke out in Peshawar as scores of demonstrators staged rally in the city and threw stones on shops, forcing shopkeepers to shut their shops.
Baton-wielding crowds also smashed up an outlet of the US-franchised Subway fast food restaurant and eight new cars at a Honda showroom in Peshawar.
The protestors also damaged government and private properties and the police had to fire tear-gas shells and used batons to disperse the demonstrators. There was also firing in the air but no one was hurt.
The violence started at 7.00am in the morning, which continued for three hours. Traffic on the main University Road was suspended.
Police used teargas to disperse protesters in Peshawar and around 30 people were rounded up for damaging public property, officials said.
A senator from the nationalist Pakhtoonkhawa Milli Awami Party was also detained, party activists said. Police were unable to confirm the arrest.
SINDH & PUNJAB: Residents said a partial strike was also observed in rural parts of Sindh and southern districts of Punjab.
Witnesses said the strike was partial in Karachi, while shops and markets were shut and traffic remained thin in other parts of Sindh province.
Reports from Karachi suggest that ten vehicles were burnt during the strike in different areas. There was partial strike and traffic was disrupted in several localities.
Police detained around 50 activists from different nationalist parties, police officer Tariq Jamil told AFP.
The people faced difficulties in finding transport to reach their offices in time. Attendance remained thin in offices and educational institutions due to strike.
A taxi driver was also injured as the demonstrators burnt his car in the city's Malir area.
Three vehicles of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation were also burnt in Nusrat Bhutto colony.
Reports said that an angry mob set ablaze a police check post in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and forced the police to flee.
HYDERABAD: Qasimabad, Hussainabad, Tando Wali Mohammed and surrounding areas of Hyderabad city and Latifabad remained closed.
Shops and business centres in Hyderabad city and Latifabad were open but because of no or thin traffic on roads the atmosphere appeared to be tense. The commuters were seen in large numbers at General Bus Stop and Hala Naka, which are the points of transport to Badin, Mirpurkhas, Thatta, Karachi and upcountry.
Passengers faced hardships as the transport between Hyderabad and Jamshoro was also off the roads. However some Suzukis were seen taking passengers. Sindhi localities of Hyderabad city also remained totally closed.
This was second consecutive day that traffic from Hyderabad to various cities including Karachi and Sukkur was not seen on the roads. After 4.00 pm few passenger buses started to run for Karachi but charged Rs 150 per passenger instead of usual fare of Rs 100.
Because of complete strike at Jamshoro and absence of bus points of three universities situated at Jamshoro the students could not reach the varsities as such the classes at universities and many colleges in Hyderabad were not held.
On Wednesday night some miscreants burnt tyres on Indus Highway near railway station, which prompted police to take to high alert since Wednesday night. Jamshoro police arrested Usman Rajar, Dhani Bux Rajar supporters of former speaker Jalal Mahmood Shah and Saheb Khan Noorani, Bilal Burfat of Jeay Sindh Mahaz.
Various towns and cities of interior Sindh observed complete shutter down and wheel jam strike. These towns included Tando Mohammed Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Matli, Badin, Thatta, Hala, Matiari, Tando Bago, Sujawal, Dadu, Nawabshah and Kotri.
A PONM spokesman said that political workers of various parties allied with PONM clashed with police in Kotri, when police tried to open the shops. Police was carrying out arrest.
At Jamshoro the protestors smashed windscreens of vehicles. Meanwhile, PONM leaders thanked the people of Sindh for observing complete strike.