KARACHI:The citizens on Tuesday held a protest demonstration on Mauripur Road on second consecutive day against hours long power load-shedding by K-Electric in various areas of Karachi. The citizens have been compelled to face load shedding at a time when citizens have been hit hard by water scarcity and heatwave.
The citizens came out of their houses and held a protest demonstration on Mauripur Road on second day, causing massive traffic jam from the ICI bridge to the Lyari Expressway. Due to traffic jam, commuters suffered hardships amid heatwave. The protesters also clashed with police and pelted them with stones. In reaction, the police used water canons and baton charged them in order to disperse them.
Speaking on the occasion, a protester, Nazeer Ahmed, said that K-Electric has badly failed to provide smooth power supply to the citizens. “It is also sending inflated bills to the citizens, making their lives miserable.” He demanded immediate nationalization of KE.
He recalled that in 2018, NEPRA had also imposed a fine of Rs2 million on K-Electric for non-compliance of performance standards, particularly failure to restore the power supply within the prescribed time frame and ensure the safety of public in Karachi. He appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to rid Karachiites of KE which was frequently raising power prices but was not providing relief to the consumers.
Yesterday, residents of Hijrat Colony and Sultanabad held a protest demonstration and blocked PIDC bridge and MT Khan Road against the prolonged loadshedding by KE. They installed barriers on the road, causing the worst traffic jam.
A day earlier, people protested in Teen Hatti, Saddar Preedy Street, Jubilee Market, Shah Faisal Colony, Surjani Town, University Road, MT Khan Road, Nishtar Road, and 14 other areas. The shortfall of electricity in the country has reached 7,500 megawatts, with total power generation at 21,700 megawatts, and demand at 29,200 megawatts, necessitating prolonged power cuts across the country, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.
Pakistan faces a electricity shortfall of 7,500 megawatts. The total electricity supply in the country stands at 21,700 megawatts while total demand is 29,200 megawatts. The electricity shortfall has caused prolonged power outages in the country, particularly in Karachi which is economic engine of country.