As protests raged across the country on Thursday, demonstrators blocked roads and threatened to stop paying electricity bills until the authorities pull the plug on prolonged and unscheduled load-shedding.
In Punjab, protests were observed in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Bhakarm, Multan, Vehari, DG Khan and Bahawalpur.
Residents and industry workers chanted slogans against the government and Wapda, saying that power cuts have made it impossible for them to earn a livelihood. They warned that they would not pay their electricity bills until the government resolved the issue.
Meanwhile in Haripur, residents of the Mohalla Noor Colony blocked the Haripur-Khanpur and Haripur-Hattar Industrial Estate Road in protest against power cuts. According to locals, power supply in the area was cut off for 12 hours.
Protesters burnt tyres and suspended traffic for about two hours. They also chanted slogans against the power utility Pesco and the provincial government.
Similarly, load-shedding in almost all parts of AJK, including Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Mirpur divisions, has angered residents.
People from various localities including traders and students threatened to take to the streets to press the authorities into resolving the electricity crisis immediately.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 11th, 2012.
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The loadshedding in karachi is not even 25% of what it is in Punjab.Why have punjab's people been treated as inferiors and pariahs by the ppp? Why all this inhuman cruelty directed towards punjab? Are the people living in punjab not humans?
Punjab has been unfairly targetted over the last four years by the federal govt. and made to suffer the most loadshedding of gas and electricity.This discriminatory attitued shown by the federal govt. against the people of punjab is extremely saddening.Punjab is being punished because it dared to not vote for the ruling party.