Sheikh Rashid fears 'civil disobedience' movement amid protests over electricity bills

The seasoned politician take jibe at the former prime minister's tall claims of relief to masses

RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) - Awami Muslim League (AML) president Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said the people of Pakistan, recently hit hard by inflated electricity bills and generally affected by inflationary pressures, are moving towards civil disobedience movement.

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), he said the masses protesting power bills on roads could be more violent in the month of September if the caretaker rulers failed to rescue their economic woes.

Taking jibe at former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the seasoned politician said those [PDM government] claiming to sell their clothes to provide relief to the masses after enjoying 16 months in power.

بڑے لوگ بجلی چوری کرتے ہیں اور بوجھ سارا غریبوں کے بلوں پر ڈال دیا جاتا ہےاگلے مہینے پیٹرول اور بجلی کا بل آگ پر پیٹرول ڈالے گاالیکشن وقت پر ہونگے یا نہیں اس سے زیادہ اہم اور سنگین مسئلہ اگلے مہینےلوگوں کے لئے پیٹرول اور بجلی کا بل ادا کرنا ہےلوگ بغیر کسی لیڈر اور بغیر کسی جماعت…

— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) August 27, 2023

He said the influential people are involved in power theft, but the poor bear the brunt of this theft, fearing nect bills of fuel and electricity would add fuel to fire.

Rashid further was of the view that the most important challenge for the country is not holding elections in time, but how the masses would bear electricity and fuel costs for the month of September.   

The former minister said that all the power distribution companies have removed official number plates of their vehicles, fearing public.

He was of the view that there is no difference between filers and non-filers as both of them have to pay taxes in one way or the other.