Power outages: Transporters, traders stage strike

Major highways linking province to the rest of the country blocked.

QUETTA:

Public transporters and traders staged a successful strike against the crippling power cuts in major parts of Balochistan on Tuesday on the directives of the Zamindar Action Committee.

The main highways connecting Balochistan to other cities in the province and other provinces were blocked, including Kadkocha Highway connecting Karachi to Quetta and Dasht Highway connecting Sibi to Quetta. Kalat Highway, Quetta-Chaman Highway and Quetta-Ziarat Highway was also blocked by protesters.

The strike against chronic and unscheduled load-shedding was observed in Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kharan, Dasht, Naushki, Sorab, Bolan, Kanak and other areas of the province. Public transport vehicles ground to a halt as a result.

Speaking to the media, central leader of the Zamindar Action Committee Aziz Mughal said the protests would continue against Water and Power Development Authority officials for adopting an ‘anti-farmers policy’.

Chairman Agha Taj Mohammad said the ministry of water and power had reduced the electricity quota for Balochistan and farmers were being provided electricity to operate their tube wells for only two hours.

“We had knocked on the doors of the caretaker chief minister of Balochistan and the ministry of water and power all in vain,” he said.

He said farmers were struggling to make ends meet and many were facing bankruptcy as they were unable to grow crops to earn a living.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2013.