Quetta traders rally against power bills

The trading community organized a protest outside the Quetta Press Club on Tuesday evening, vehemently opposing inflated electricity bills and expressing their frustration.

In a show of collective anger, hundreds of traders assembled, decrying the Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) for issuing exorbitant electricity bills to consumers. They voiced the profound impact of these bills on their ability to provide adequately for their families, exacerbated by the sudden and unacceptable increase in electricity prices by the government.

President of Anjaman e Tajiran Balochistan, Rahim Kakar, asserted that the burden of these substantial bills was unbearable. He encouraged fellow traders not to comply with what he labeled as unjust bills, instead advocating for the bills to be set aflame as a symbolic act of defiance.

Kakar condemned the current leadership of the country, characterizing the situation as an exploitation of the traders’ community.

The wave of protests against QESCO for overbilling is a nation-wide phenomenon in Pakistan, with traders at the forefront in Balochistan.

Hazrat Ali Achakzai, another trader leader, emphasized the growing frustration among traders, attributing it to escalating taxes and QESCO’s actions that have compounded their challenges.

During the demonstration, protesting traders blocked the main road outside the Quetta Press Club, leading to traffic disruptions. Stringent security measures were enforced by the administration to maintain law and order.

The surge in electricity rates has translated into hefty bills for consumers across the country, triggering public outrage and dissatisfaction. In response, traders have taken to the streets to voice their grievances.

Rahim Kakar clarified that the protest was symbolic in nature, hinting at a potential escalation based on the traders’ collective decision at the central level. He pointed out that the government had incorporated 13 new taxes into the power bills, further burdening the traders.

Protesters directed their ire at both federal and provincial authorities for their failure to extend support to the traders’ community and alleviate the tax burden.

Hazrat Ali Achakzai cautioned that unless the government altered its policies, the system would face disruption due to their collective actions.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2023.