Chaos at Clifton : Shopkeepers pelt cars with stones in protest

Police baton-charge, tear gas protesters.

KARACHI:

Scores of shopkeepers in Clifton pelted cars with stones to protest load-shedding. They shouted slogans against the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) and burnt tyres.

Police retaliated with aerial firing, teargas shelling and batons.

Shopkeepers in Saasi Arcade, Kehkashan, Gulf and other shopping centres along with residents near Teen Talwar, Clifton took to the streets to protest prolonged power outages. The protesters broke several vehicles’ windows and windshields while smoke from the burning tyres billowed thickly on the main Clifton road. Traffic drew to a standstill and adjoining roads were flooded with diverting cars, causing gridlocks. The protesters’ shouts mixed with a cacophony of angry honking.

The protesters said the long hours of load-shedding had destroyed their businesses. Things have become so bad that they can barely buy groceries for their families, they said. If the KESC continues with these hours, people would be forced to kill themselves.

The protesters maintained that other than the scheduled outages, the KESC shuts off power supply at other times as well. “It seems as if they [KESC officials] are making the situation worse on purpose,” said a furious protester.

The police finally managed to gain control of the situation, dispersed the protesters and traffic resumed.

On Thursday, KESC announced that load-shedding in residential areas of Karachi would be extended to nine hours while industrial zones would suffer eight hours without electricity.

DSP Shiraz Asghar said load-shedding is not the police’s fault but they still tried to negotiate with the protesters. When they refused to listen, the police had to take stricter measures. Some of the protesters even had weapons and were firing into the air.

The officer maintained they only fired two teargas shells to disperse the rioters.

Meanwhile, the shopkeepers said they have complained to the KESC several times but the company refused to pay attention.

Ali, a trader at the Kehkashan centre, said protesting was their right. He maintained they were holding a peaceful demonstration but the police’s high-handedness compelled them to react violently as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th,  2011.