Pakistan

Power crisis: 2 dead, 30 wounded as police fire on protesters

Police opened fire to disperse thousands furiously protesting against crippling power outages.

Express/afp July 04, 2011

LAHORE: More than 30 people were wounded Monday when police opened fire to disperse thousands furiously protesting against crippling power outages in Pakistan, officials said.

Additionally, Express 24/7 reported two deaths as a result of the protest.

A crowd of about 8,000 people took to the streets in Mianwali city and some later attacked government buildings, shops and pelted police with stones, Mohammad Waqas Nazir, city police chief, told AFP.

Police charged the crowd with batons and lobbed tear gas shells to quell a mob who had smashed billboards and attacked vehicles, he said.

"Police opened fire after they failed to quell the mob heading towards the main Chashma power plant," the official said.

"They were violent, pelting police with stones. Their number kept on increasing," Nazir said, adding that the protesters were trying to besiege the plant near the city, demanding an end to load-shedding.

At least 32 people were wounded, including 20 police officials.

China has built a 300-megawatt nuclear power plant at Chashma. Pakistan opened Chashma-2 last month with a capacity of producing 330 megawatts of electricity.

Pakistan, with a population of 167 million, produces only 80 percent of its electricity needs, starving industry that has slumped in the face of recession and three years of Taliban-linked bombings.

Pakistan plans to produce 8,000 megawatts of electricity by 2025 to address energy shortfalls which trigger violent protests each summer.

COMMENTS (19)

zulfiqar khan | 12 years ago | Reply i m a eye witness of this incident.Tehreek-e-Haqooq-e-Mianwali established about two month ago.Tehreek has no Ohdah of president,genral secratary etc.all member are participating as a member of Supreme council body.First of all These members r went to every main village,tehsel city etc and mobilised the people to participate in this struggle for their rights.Supreme concil start First right to finishing loadshading in distt Mianwali due to Chashma atomic power project where 1000mega watt electricity is producing but all the electricity is supplying to Capital of Pakistan and some other main cities but the Distt where this electricity has genrated has not facilited by this electricity.Supreme council says that this is our right because at Chashma our fertile land has accured by govt for project and now due to atomic rediations the people of Distt Mianwali r suffering in very dangerous deseases like cancer.They say that in pakistan the peolpe of Distt Mianwwali have suffered in cancer in huge numbers.but Chashma autharties and govt has take no intrest to facilitate the host people.There is no educational facilities,no health facilities and there is no advantage and preference in Job.Supreme council raised this issue that we want electricity without any break and also with 50percent less rate as a royaltySupereme council has anounced this call for 4july about one month ago.it is very sadful situation that our local management and our sitting MNAs,PMAs have no intrest to solve this problem before strike and clash and in the end two person death and many have become injured.on 4july peacful protestors want to walk to Chashma only to record their protest but the distt management was afraid that may be protestors desturb the system of neuclear site.police use tear gas shell and firing.this is the duty of police and distt management to control the situation but there is a big lake due to unavailbilty of MNAs,MPAs.They have take no intrest.we try to contact to sitting MNAs,MPAs but every one has power off their mobiles.This is very sad and hopeless thing that in democratic system this incident has come.Now every citizen is criticizing and worry about the attitude of their political personalities in their meetings and in sms,s.only supreme council member like Khursheed anwar khan,Abdul rehman niazi,abdul wahab niazi(president of NLF Punjab),Maolvi Azmatullah khan,Sadar Ajuman tajran Mwi Sanaullah khan,Falak sher Awami and some other persons which take keen intrest and struggle for public rights.I think if do not solve this problem on permanent basis the public of Mianwali has come out in huge number.because this was the first entry test in which the public has come succeed.in this huge crowd protest very small number of people participate from some many villages.if public come out from every village in more numbers then a serious problem will create.so its duty of distt management that tell the real situation and mood of Mianwali public to high authorities.and try to give leagal rights of public as soon as possible.

ehsanali | 12 years ago | Reply We have enough capacity of power generation but our corrupt government is not paying money to power companies to buy furnace oil to run that is called circular debt and they hiding the facts from public and finding excuses,

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Bilafond | 12 years ago | Reply @Mirza: Which DHA? Are we talking DHA Beijing. Have your facts straight.

Mirza | 12 years ago | Reply @Citizen: Coal is the fuel most frequently used for production of electricity followed by natural gas, hydro and nuclear power. Only about 5% of the world electricity is produced by oil. Most of the Europe which is not rich in coal and natural gas uses nuclear technology to produce more than half of their electricity. France produces about 75% of its electricity by nuclear technology. Pakistan may have more nuclear warheads but it produces only a tiny fraction of its electricity using it vast nuclear knowhow. In countries which are not blessed wit lot of coal, gas and oil, the nuclear is the best choice. That is why people with technical knowledge would bring about the issue of non-use of Pakistan’s manpower and expertise for public use. Pakistanis have to make a decision what do they want? Do they want to accumulate nuclear devices after having more than one hundred or start using this knowledge and money for public use? Our friend China and neighbor India are investing heavily in nuclear technology for “peaceful purposes” after their military appetite is filled. For any country nuclear weapons are like the most expensive weapon that may never be used but it takes money away from education, healthcare, agriculture, civic infrastructure and gives no return to the taxpayers. In the big or rich countries nuclear bombs are not accumulated at the cost of poor public. If we want to continue to build more and more expensive toys then forget about the common man’s problems and get ready for eating grass, the choice is simple. Don’t shoot the messenger. I would request some Pakistani technocrat who understands the production of energy to please comment.

Someone | 12 years ago | Reply Who do we Pakis like to kill each other so much? Just go to the homepage, press CTRL+F and type words like "bomb", "kill", "terrorism" , "died" "wounded" "injured" "rape" etc. Our newspaper homepages tend to be full of these words nowadays.

Moise | 12 years ago | Reply Good explanation, Fake taliban is behind load shedding. More fluoride and paint chips please.

anonymous | 12 years ago | Reply @Surkhab: No.

Citizen | 12 years ago | Reply I wonder why people start blaming the nuclear programme for any thing wrong that goes!!!! What is this power crisis to do with nuclear programme? Outages are the result of dismantled power infra structure by sunday's thunderstorm and also because of corruption on the part of government as well as the people. As regards nuclear weapons , a patriot can never write against it! Can you imagine what could have happened if Pakistan were not a nuclear power? India must have eaten up "raw" all of us including those as well who have written against nuclear programme because Hindus would not bother any loyalty on your part once they have occupied this Holy Land! Pakistan Zinda abad, Nuclear Programme Painda Bad!!!!! people. As regards nuclear weapons , a patriot can never write against it! Can you imagine what could have happened if Pakistan were not a nuclear power? India must have eaten up "raw" all of us including those as well who have written against nuclear programme because Hindus would not bother any loyalty on your part once they have occupied this Holy Land! Pakistan Zinda abad, Nuclear Programme Painda Bad!!!!!

ABC | 12 years ago | Reply But Pakistan has the fastest rate of growth of Nuclear weapons, has overtaken UK in no. of N. weapons. What's wrong here? Someone thot he can live with grass and nukes?

Mirza | 12 years ago | Reply @Surkhab: Of course our scientists are very capable. However, our priorities are screwed up. We prefer to accumulate nuclear warheads by hundreds. Who gives a damn about general public? The power does not go off in the DHA and other elite areas. Isn’t the sense and pride of keeping nuclear weapons enough for poor Pakistanis to keep them warm in winter and feed them with jihadist zeal? The material things are for the infidel west and not for pious Pakistani Muslims. Unless Pakistanis demand full freedom and equality for all nothing would change. We have a proverb in English, “put your money where your mouth is”. There is only so much money and it is your choice where to spend it? Large countries like China and India can spend 10% of their budget on weapons and still have 90% money left. Pakistan cannot match them even if they put 100% of the budget on the weapons. It is their choice, right now it is not working and they have to make a different choice.

Khalil Ur Rehman | 12 years ago | Reply a very unfortunate incident.but we the people of mianwali don't have the right to demand a load shedding free district even.if god forbid some mishap occur with the chashma power plant we the people of mianwali have to suffer. And we don't have any right to even have ou say.

Surkhab | 12 years ago | Reply Are pakistani engineers not capable of proposing solution to power crisis?

Mirza | 12 years ago | Reply @TightDhoti: Bro, it is a real shame that while our nuclear warheads are increasing for parity with much bigger India, our people are suffering like this. By this police action, they have found a solution for hunger too, just kill the people and the problem is solved. People can continue ignoring the real problem and call it corruption, mismanagement or what? The main issue is our priorities, where is the budget going? Why are the civilians not benefitting with all the nuclear expertise like the other countries of the world? It is a shame that Punjab govt and police is acting like pre-colonial era Punjab police. This only shows the real face of real rulers the establishment and their apologists. The country would not change for good until people realize and change their priorities. Do we want more nuclear weapons or education, healthcare, power, agriculture, and other basic civic needs?

goggi | 12 years ago | Reply I wrote a comment many months ago that instead of wasting our energy on petty problems, we need to concentrate on our existential problem of power and water shortage. Surviving the scorching heat of the long summer with constant load-shedding and water shortage is if going through a hellfire. Although I am not a Shia Muslim, but still it reminds me of the heart tearing tragedy of Karbala. Is our ruling class another Yazid, living self in the lap of luxury and letting the people especially the babies weep in agony??? The distribution of available resources should be on base of equality and the energy sucking air-conditioners should be TOTALLY BANNED from our Pakistani society.

ABC | 12 years ago | Reply Pakistan needs Afghanistan and Kashmir! All problems will go away!

harry stone | 12 years ago | Reply A decision was made to invest in nuclear weapons and not power generation. This is the outcome.

patriotic | 12 years ago | Reply @ nida...the real culprits are the people of pakistan who dont pay bills... who attack kesc when they fire useless politically appointed and corrupt employees... we ppl of pakistan deserve this suffering.. pay your bills enough of kundas.. employment shud be based on merit...

TightDhoti | 12 years ago | Reply Oh lord, and I thought we were willing to eat grass to become a nuclear power. Loadshedding hmph..another matter

Nida Butt | 12 years ago | Reply This is heartbreaking to see. The real culprits are the ones who are responsible in providing the electricty. COrruption poverty and illiteracy has overtaken everyone.

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