The Ministry of Finance on Monday released Rs 10 billion to the Ministry of Water and Power to ease load shedding across the country, as people fed up with the spiraling menace reported to violent protests at several places throughout the country to vent their anger at the authorities’ apparent apathy.
The information about the fund release was provided to Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso during a high-level meeting held at the Prime Minister’s House to discuss the overall energy situation in the country.
On the other hand, agitated citizens took to the streets in blazing heat to protests hours-long load shedding.
Police fired warning shots and used tear gas canisters as furious protesters rallied against prolonged power outages in Mirpur and Kotli towns of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
TV footages showed demonstrators clashing with law enforcement personnel and refusing to disperse. The protesters said they would rally outside the Mangla Power House.
Senior police officials tried to pacify the protesters and assured them through a notification that only scheduled load shedding of four hours would be carried out in their areas, but to no avail.
In Faisalabad as well, residents staged a protest at Samundari Road against long power and gas outages.
Violent protesters started throwing stones on vehicles and other goods.
In the reaction, police also started shelling to disperse the protesters.
The protesters said that they were sick and tired of long power outages and demanded smooth supply of electricity.
The protest was ended when police assured the protesters of solution of their problem soon.
In the meeting at PM’s House, the prime minister directed that all formalities pertaining to generation and production of 56.4MW Wind Power Project installed by Zorlu Energy Group at Jhampir be completed without delay and it be connected to the national grid system within 48 hours.
Khoso ordered immediate activation of the Wind Power Project which had been completed by the Turkish company and awaited connection to the national grid.
HESCO CEO Muzaffar Abbasi said transmission lines had been laid and were ready to transmit electricity from the Wind Mill Project to the national grid.
Meanwhile, sources said the total power shortfall faced by the country had declined to 3,900MW with the improvement in weather, leading to reduction in power outages.
The total demand for power had come down after the recent rains in various parts of the country.
According to latest statistics, the total power supply was 10,900MW against a total demand of 14,800MW.