Protests everywhere as Pindi’s power problems worsen
Marble factory association leaders threatens million-man march over power outages.
RAWALPINDI:
In a strongly-worded warning to the federal government, Marble Factory Association Action Committee (MFAAC) on Tuesday threatened to pour in almost 1.2 million employees on the roads if the power crisis is not resolved.
We would join any political party to oust Zardari, Gilani and their cronies from power, said MFAAC Chairman Shahid Mehmood, who was leading the protests in Westridge. The rally started from Marble Factory Road and ended at the Wapda office.
Terming the protest a rehearsal, MFAAC Chairman Mehmood announced a schedule for more protest and rallies. He said factory owners and workers would not pay electricity bills and would also not pay taxes if the government failed to overcome the power crises.
The protesters said that those walking in the corridors of power were busy looting the national exchequer but had not been paying attention to the problems being faced by the industrial sector and the general public.
A large number of residents of Airport Road, Shah Khalid Colony, Dhoke Kashmirian and Gulzar-e-Quaid staged a separate protest against power outages.
Wielding bamboo sticks, metal rods and tree branches, angry protesters blocked Airport Road for hours by setting tyres ablaze. The protesters also included the elderly, women and children. They chanted loud slogans against the government.
Reportedly, a huge protest demo was also held at Biscuit Factory Chowk by residents of Chakri Road, Quaid-i-Azam Colony, Ashraf Colony, Dhamial and Hayyal against power outages that had left people unable to even get a good night’s sleep.
The protesters blocked traffic on Chakri Road for hours. They also burnt tyres on the main road and threw traffic out of gear for at least two hours.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2012.
In a strongly-worded warning to the federal government, Marble Factory Association Action Committee (MFAAC) on Tuesday threatened to pour in almost 1.2 million employees on the roads if the power crisis is not resolved.
We would join any political party to oust Zardari, Gilani and their cronies from power, said MFAAC Chairman Shahid Mehmood, who was leading the protests in Westridge. The rally started from Marble Factory Road and ended at the Wapda office.
Terming the protest a rehearsal, MFAAC Chairman Mehmood announced a schedule for more protest and rallies. He said factory owners and workers would not pay electricity bills and would also not pay taxes if the government failed to overcome the power crises.
The protesters said that those walking in the corridors of power were busy looting the national exchequer but had not been paying attention to the problems being faced by the industrial sector and the general public.
A large number of residents of Airport Road, Shah Khalid Colony, Dhoke Kashmirian and Gulzar-e-Quaid staged a separate protest against power outages.
Wielding bamboo sticks, metal rods and tree branches, angry protesters blocked Airport Road for hours by setting tyres ablaze. The protesters also included the elderly, women and children. They chanted loud slogans against the government.
Reportedly, a huge protest demo was also held at Biscuit Factory Chowk by residents of Chakri Road, Quaid-i-Azam Colony, Ashraf Colony, Dhamial and Hayyal against power outages that had left people unable to even get a good night’s sleep.
The protesters blocked traffic on Chakri Road for hours. They also burnt tyres on the main road and threw traffic out of gear for at least two hours.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2012.