Police use force to disperse power protest

Residents of the Garden Shoe Market and surrounding areas blocked Nishtar Road, burned tires, and raised slogans against K-Electric and the government due to prolonged electricity outages. The District City Police intervened to disperse the protesters using batons, tear gas, and firing shots into the air. The protesters retaliated by pelting stones and breaking the windows of a private bank, leading to several arrests.

This marked the first instance of police using force against protestors amidst ongoing demonstrations over electricity and water shortages throughout the city for the past month.

On the night between Sunday and Monday, around 1 a.m., residents of Garden Shoe Market, Osmanabad, Ghazdarabad, and Garden Police Lines gathered on Nishtar Road, obstructing traffic and setting fire to tires and other debris. Police from Garden, Eidgah, and Nabi Bakhsh stations initially sympathized with the protesters, as they too were affected by the power outages. However, the situation escalated when the police received orders to crack down on the demonstrators.

Protesters, speaking to The Express Tribune, expressed frustration over the lack of electricity despite enduring scheduled load shedding of 10 hours during the day and continuous power cuts at night. Residents of Quetta Square, Usmanabad, Ghazdarabad, and nearby areas reported that small flats in the area were suffering, with children becoming distressed due to extended power outages.

Despite lodging multiple complaints with the K-Electric Helpline, residents received no satisfactory response or resolution. Exasperated by the situation and their children's cries, residents took to the streets despite having to work early in the morning.