Despite the Water and Power Ministry’s tall claims and government pledges and assertions of increase in power generation upto 14,650 MW, complaints of power outages during Sehri, Iftari and Taraveeh timings continue across the country including the provincial capitals.
The citizens agitated by unscheduled load shedding came out on the streets and chanted slogans against the government for making false claims.
Protests demonstrations were held in Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Karachi, Multan, Sargodha, Sanghar, Sialkot and other cities across the country.
The enraged citizens, including women, children and the elderly, took to the streets against the unannounced and prolonged load shedding.
The protesters said that the government had given them ‘false hopes’. They said that the duration of load shedding had increased during the holy month of Ramadan.
In Karachi, unannounced load shedding was carried out in various areas during the Sehri timings, including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, North Nazimabad, North Karachi and Surjani Town.
Experts of energy affairs said that the government’s claims could not reduce the power load shedding, adding that there is a need to increase electricity generation.
In Karachi, residents of Gora Qabristan area protested against power cuts on Shahrah-e-Faisal. Heavy contingent of police arrived at the scene and resorted to baton-charge to disperse the angry mob.
Protesters in Multan surrounded MEPCO office in Pak Gate area. Some of the protesters vandalized the building and torched the furniture of the office.
An angry mob blocked the Lahore-Sheikhpura road and chanted anti-government slogans.
Earlier on July 6, Federal Information Minister Pervez Rasheed had assured the people that no load shedding would take place in the month of Ramadan during Sehri, Iftar and Tarawih timings.
The government had paid off Rs 503 billion in loans to power companies in just four weeks in order to boost power generation but the money seems to have gone in vain.
It’s not just Ramadan that’s testing people’s patience!
