Load-shedding triggers protests across South Punjab

Protesters blame power utility officials for not paying heed to complaints

MULTAN: Scores of people, including woman and children, staged protest demonstrations against unscheduled load-shedding in various districts of South Punjab on Monday. The protests were held in Multan, Vehari, Khanewal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah and Sahiwal Districts.

In Multan, enraged people gathered at Chungi No 9 and shouted slogans against the government. They blamed the government and MEPCO officials of not taking measures to address the issue.

One of the protesters Abdullah, resident of Gulgasht, told The Express Tribune, “The government has no shame and it does not care about the masses.” He said, “There is no fixed schedule of load-shedding. We have to eat without light during Sehri and we cannot sleep due to four to six hours of power cuts.”



Sakeena, a resident of Sabzazar said, “My two daughters fell unconscious because of extreme heat and load-shedding. We are also facing scarcity of water due to power outages.”



In Dera Ghazi Khan, people staged protest in Liaqat Bazaar. The protesters said the shopkeepers sit in the shops without electricity. They added unannounced load-shedding had made their lives miserable.

In Shujaabad, farmers and traders staged protest demonstration against load-shedding. A protestor Suhail said that crops were being damaged due to lack of water as tubewells could not run due to unavailability of electricity.

Similarly, in Muzafargarh, people protested against the power crisis. They said that Multan Electric Power Company officials did not even bother to attend phone calls of the citizens let alone solving complaints.

Similar protests were also held in Sahiwal, Okara, Dipalpur, Sheikhupura and other cities. The protesters demanded the water and power ministry to take immediate notice of the situation and bring an end to unscheduled load-shedding.

They also demanded the government to take strict action against those officers who do not pay heed to the complaints of the citizens.

Meanwhile, when contacted, MEPCO officials declined to comment on the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2017.