LAHORE – Angry citizens, protesting against gas shortage, at the Chungi Ferozepur Road, gave Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Naseer Bhutta a piece of their minds by forcing him to flee despite the fact that he had reached the spot to calm down the protesters, Pakistan Today has learnt.
According to details, citizens irked at continuous gas and electricity outages, staged a protest against six to 10 hours of load shedding in various parts of the city. Residents of Chungi Amar Sidhu, Kot Lakhpat and other adjoining areas reached the main Ferozepur Road and blocked the road and chanted slogans against the government for failing to provide them basic necessities.
Trying to be a public hero, PML-N Naseer Bhutta reached the spot and tried to calm down the protesters. His arrival infuriated the protesters who told the MNA that they had not seen him for the last three years and why was he trying to become a hero now for achieving political mileage. They started chanting slogans against the Sharif brothers including “Nawaz Sharif murdabad and Shahbaz Sharif murdabad”.
They accused Bhutta of trying to gain political points and complained that the PML-N always tried to prove its sympathies with the people in such situations. Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, the MNA fled at once. “These leaders have failed to provide us gas and try to attain political mileage by making political statements,” lamented a protestor adding that if these leaders were sincere with the people then they must make sure that gas was available for all.
“Our problems have not decreased and for last two weeks there is no gas at anytime of the day,” said protestor Muhammad Khalid adding that the PML-N tries to cash the situation in its favour and instigate people against its rival parties. “We are not against or in favour of any party. All we want is a smooth gas supply for our daily use,” said another protestor Ali Saleem.
Housewives said they were facing huge problems due to gas outages. “My husband and children are going to school and office without having breakfast for the last many days only because of gas suspension,” said housewife Amna Naeem adding that even after paying inflated bills, there was no basic utility for the masses. The protestors also burnt gas bills and said that the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) had failed to provide gas to domestic users.
Consumers also criticised the Punjab government for ignoring domestic users and giving priority to industries. “Everyone knows that the Punjab government is being run by industrialists and they are more interested in running their factories and ignoring domestic users,” said protester Hammad Raza. He said that according to an agreement between the SNGPL and industries, the company could close gas for industries during winter for facilitating domestic users.
“Under such an agreement, there is no point to talk with the federal government for ensuring supplies to the industrial sector and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif should ask the industrial sector to arrange gas on its own,” he said. Electricity load shedding continued with repeated intervals in various parts of the city.
The Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) failed to provide any relief to the consumers despite the cold weather and less demand. “Power demand has decreased due to the cold weather while business centres are closed because of a holiday but even then we are facing outages of eight hours,” said citizen Jabbar Ahmed.
