Pakistan

Load-shedding protests: 3 killed, 28 injured in Mianwali

DCO Mianwali among the injured. Protestors take DPO Mianwali hostage.

Express July 04, 2011

MIANWALI: Three people were killed and 28 injured after police fired at protestors demonstrating against prolonged load-shedding in Mianwali, Express 24/7 reported on Monday.

Two of the injured are reported to be in critical condition. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Mianwali is also among the injured.

The protestors have also taken District Police Officer (DPO) Mianwali hostage and have locked him inside a house.

Earlier, residents of Pakka Ganjera area had started marching towards Chashma Power Plant, demanding that government reduce duration of load-shedding.

Police fired shells at protestors as they hurled stones during the demonstration.

All markets and business centres are closed and traffic has been suspended as a result of the protest.

COMMENTS (5)

Dropscene | 13 years ago | Reply Attention: All Pakistanis: We want Electricity in Pakistan, Electricity now is @ Rs 11 per unit; and it will increase every two months as per American IMF policies. IRAN offers to provide the electricity on urgent basis to Pakistan @ Rs.1.18 per unit!! And, China @ Rs 300/Month/Household with unlimited usage of electricity!!! But our government is deliberately making it worse. NOW THIS IS OUR TIME TO SHOW THE GOVERNMENT OUR STRENGTH. PLEASE SPREAD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL, LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE OPTIONS. Please wake up for our Survival, depends on our standing up!!

Night-Hawk | 13 years ago | Reply In this country of ours, rights are for those who snatch them at gunpoint. Go on people of Mianwali --- this is your land, you have sacrificed your health and fertile lands for these mega-projects and now whoelse deserves these resources more than you. Those who keep their rooms airconditioned 24/7 in palaces of Islamabad must recognize the agony of people in remote districts of Pakistan.

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eng.Hafeez | 13 years ago | Reply Shame for gov and shame for people who still think that PPP ,PML(N) is sincere to this country.

Haseeb | 13 years ago | Reply Reports after the recent tsunami in Japan clearly show that people living in a radius of 50 miles around a nuclear power plant are at extreme danger of exposure to nuclear radiations. In the Mianwali district, 2 nuclear plants are operational and a 3rd is on its way. There have been reports of cancer being on the rise due to these nuclear plants, though the access of these cases to media is restricted by the security agencies and journalists are never allowed to explore these issues. Its a pity that despite exposing Mianwali's population to such dangers, the load-shedding is at around 16 hours a day. And no subsidy is given to the local people in the electricity bills. They aren't even given priority for jobs there. This public rage is explainable and justified.

dr.imran aheer | 13 years ago | Reply Chashma nuclear power-plant is approximately generating 1000MW of electricity. In 90s the power-plant was started with a promise by the govt to the locals that they will entertain special subsidy on electricity rates. It has been almost two decades, 2 more reactors are set up, but the people of mianwali have yet to get the promise fulfilled, even after suffering from reactors' harmful radiations. The number of malignancies (cancer cases) is increasing since year 2000 A.D. in nearby villages i.e, Kundian and Piplan. Moreover, the schedule of load-shedding is biased as compared to the upper punjab areas. The protest for their right is being portrayed in wrong way, a senior official from mianwali said in an interview that the peaceful protest was hijacked by militants for bad purposes. In reality the protesters were shoot by police.

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