Lyari people protest against power supply cuts

Angry people staged a protest in front of the K-electric office in Musa Lane over power load-shedding in different areas of Lyari.

Meanwhile, two youth were injured in firing by unknown persons and were rushed to Civil Hospital. They were identified as Muhammad Farooq, 13, and Mirza, 19, whose condition is said to be critical.

The protesters said that they were frustrated by several hours of load shedding. "Even without electricity, inflated electricity bills are being sent, which is a sheer injustice," they said.

According to reports from the area, Baghdadi police reached the scene and told the protesters to disperse. However, they refused to end the protest. Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen opened fire which sparked outrage in the area.

Syed Abdul Rasheed, Member Sindh Assembly belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami, was also present on the occasion along with the protesters. He said that if the power supply was not restored immediately, they would protest on the adjoining roads including Mauripur Road and suspend the traffic. He asked under which law the K-electric was shutting down the feeders.

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"Electricity is the basic need of the people. Preventing electricity theft and recovering the charges were not the jobs of the consumers," he said.

KE says action against electricity theft to continue

In continuation with its massive crackdown aimed against power-thieves and defaulters, K-Electric disconnected power supply to parts of Lyari and Malir where the dues cumulatively exceed Rs2.9 billion, the power utility said in a statement on Tuesday.

Consumers in Lyari gathered in various pockets of the area to protest against the disconnection of power supply. While the staff members fortunately remained safe, KE’s offices in Moosa Lane and Kalri area were damaged by citizens who pelted stones and threw flammable material causing heavy damage to the utility’s property. The utility has also lodged an FIR against unknown assailants involved in the mob attack.

In a separate incident, protesters had gathered at the Lea Market area against the disruption of power supply, when unknown individuals opened gun fire and unfortunately injured two of the participants. Certain members with vested interests who had incited the protesters towards violence subsequently issued statements in the media which conflated both incidents and aggravated the situation.

Spokesperson K-Electric strongly condemned the use of violence against the utility and citizens, stating KE has no involvement in the unfortunate incident which occurred in the Lea Market area.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2021.