Protest against power outages, water shortage held in Mauripur
Women sit outside the K-Electric office in Mauripur in a protest against power disconnections. Photo: express
A large number of residents, including women and children, staged a sit-in protest on Hawkes Bay Road in front of Mauripur Main Bazar, blocking traffic to express their anger over the non-availability of electricity and water.
The 10-hour protest caused traffic chaos in the area, with long queues of vehicles forming, and citizens facing a challenging situation.
According to K-Electric spokesperson, the power outage was due to non-payment of Rs185 million in unpaid bills. Traffic police officials said that at 9:50am on Monday, residents gathered in front of the K-Electric Sahulat Center Mauripur on Hawkes Bay Road and blocked both tracks, disrupting traffic flow. Police diverted traffic from Hawkes Bay Road to Suparco via Musharraf Cut, while traffic from Gulbai Truck Stand was lined up.
Residents said that the power outage had been ongoing for the past seven days, causing severe difficulties and disrupting daily life. They also complained about receiving hefty electricity bills despite the power outage and water scarcity. Despite filing multiple complaints, no action was taken, forcing residents to resort to protests.
By 8pm the protest by demonstrators was still ongoing, leading to the suspension of traffic on both tracks of the main highway and causing long lines of vehicles. According to the traffic police spokesperson, the long protest by local residents at the main Mauripur Bazaar, Hawkes Bay Road, ended at 10:20pm, after which the traffic flow was restored. The protest by residents, over the lack of electricity and water, lasted for more than 12 hours, having started at 9:50am on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, a statement from the K-Electric spokesperson was also released, stating that electricity for defaulters had been disconnected due to non-payment. The amount owed by defaulters had exceeded 185 million rupees. The spokesperson urged residents to ensure timely payment of their electricity bills, as timely payments play a key role in reducing or eliminating load-shedding in the area.