Balochistan highways blocked at 20 places over power woes

Protestors urge govt to supply power to agricultural feeders

QUETTA:

The Zamindar Action Committee in Balochistan has blocked national highways at 20 places across the province against non-supply of electricity to agricultural feeders.

Agricultural tube wells have been closed due to the recurring power outages. The landlords’ protest on national highways continued till 5pm. Queues of vehicles had formed due to closure of national highways at various places, as passengers and transporters faced problems.

In protest against prolonged power outages, Quetta-Karachi Highway, Lakpass and Quetta-Jacobabad Highway at Kolpur, Quetta-Chaman Highway at Yaru and National Highway to Punjab at Loralai and Barkhan were closed.

Secretary General Zamindar Action Committee Abdul Rehman Bazai said that only one hour power supply was being provided to agricultural feeders across the province.

“Due to this prolonged load shedding, crops were being damaged. Landlords were still paying their bills. If the government does not pay attention to this, the protest will be extended,” he said.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded due to the strike.

Malik Naseer Ahmad Shahwani, Central General Secretary of Zamindar Action Committee and Member Balochistan Assembly, Asghar Khan Tareen, Leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Asghar Khan Tareen, Member Assembly Syed Azizullah Agha, Chairman Zamindar Action Committee Malik Abdul Rehman Baazi, Chairman Pishin District Syed Abdul Qahar Agha, Tribal and Political Leader Malik Abdul Majeed Khan Kakar, Tehsil Pishin Information Secretary Jamaluddin Malikiar, ANP District General Secretary Sadiq Kakar, Haji Obaidullah Tareen, Dr. Hayatullah Tareen, Mohammad Sadiq and others attended the protest.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2021.