People livid over load shedding, violent protests in various cities
Echoes of 'Bijli Do' (Give us electricity) heard in Multan, DI Khan and everywhere else in Pakistan
LAHORE/MULTAN/DERA ISMAIL KHAN: (Dunya News) – People resort to violent protests in Lahore as extensive load shedding makes it impossible for the people to bear it. People carrying sticks made it to G.T. road in Batapur. Hundreds of protesters blocked the road and started damaging the cars there. Only common people became the target of the violence.
Businesses were forcefully closed down by the protesters and they kept the road blocked for several hours. Protesters said that the load shedding has made their lives a living hell. Protesters also attacked the Batapur Subdivision and damaged the building and equipment. Employees were beaten up by the protesters on this occasion and Police remained a silent spectator all this while.
Lahore Electricity Supply Company (LESCO) officials then started discussions with the protesters and promised to restore the electricity within 2 hours. After getting the commitment from LESCO officials that unscheduled load shedding will not be conducted anymore, the protesters dispersed and the road got opened for the traffic.
In Multan, protesters also made it to roads and blocked the roads by burning wheels. Protesters set their electricity bills on fire.
Children and veiled women also came out on roads protesting load shedding in Dera Ismalil Khan. The protesters blocked the University Road and burned tyres there. Protesters said that WAPDA officials were not fixing the out-of-order transformer for the last two months.
National Highway was blocked by the protesters in Kabirwala which blocked the traffic between Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi, Islamabad. Travelers waited in long queues of cars.
Main highway was blocked in the Batkhela area of Malakand Division for three hours. Protesters told that they were facing deficiency of water due to long hours of load shedding. People kept cursing the administration for load shedding during Suhoor and Iftar timings.
