Updated on
Summary
Traders, shopkeepers and domestic consumers on Friday took to streets in various parts of the country against 14 to 18 hours unscheduled loadshedding as the wheel of industry has come to a complete halt while massive power outrages are badly affecting the businesses, paralysing routine life and forcing the helpless people to spend sleepless nights during hot weather. The protesters took out rallies, staged strong protest demonstration and chanted slogans against the government for its complete failure to improve power supply despite the lapse of two years. The helpless consumers on Friday protested in various parts of Lahore, Faisalabad, Vehari, Sahiwal, Renala Khurd, Sheikhupura and Kasur and blocked the roads by setting the tyres on fire, disrupting the traffic flow for several hours. All Pakistan Papers Merchants Association held an emergent meeting in Lahore and condemned the government for its failure to improve electricity supply in the country despite increasing tariff manifold. The association said four to six-hour continuous power outages had destroyed the business activities in the City and due to excessive loadshedding the businessmen have been left with no other option but to close down industrial units. On this occasion, they also announced that they would stage protest demonstration at Urdu Bazaar Chowk on Sunday evening. All the shopkeepers and Anjuman-e-Tajran Urdu Bazaar also announced they would join the protest against massive loadshedding. In a statement, President Lahore Kiryana Merchants Association Rao Muhammad Akram said the champions of democracy had failed to deliver as the public is suffering due to 18 hours loadshedding, high inflation and worsening law and order situation. Addressing the meeting of the office-bearers, Rao Muhammad Akram said the power outages were badly affecting the business activities but the government is not devising any comprehensive policy to get rid of this menace. On the other hand, Pepco on Thursday said the electricity shortfall had reached 4810-MW in the country as 1015-MW power generation was recorded against its demand of 14,810-MW.
