Feeling the heat: DI Khan residents burn tyres to protest load-shedding
Ex-naib nazim claims WAPDA officials involved in corruption.
Members of civil society, workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl were part of the protest. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
DI KHAN:
Large crowds of people gathered to protest against excessive load-shedding in DI Khan city on Saturday. Protesters blocked the main DI Khan-Zhob road by burning tyres, disrupting traffic between Peshawar and Quetta for many hours.
They chanted slogans against the district, provincial and federal governments, and the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) for their failure to put a halt to the long hours of unscheduled load-shedding.
Members of civil society, workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl were part of the protest.
Twelve villages, especially Kotla Sydan, Burki Town and Lauchra’s residents are facing many hours of power outages. Ex-naib nazim DI Khan, Umar Farooq, told the protesters that Wapda officials are themselves involved in corruption. Farooq claimed that they pardon legal fines while imposing illegal ones on residents.
“It is getting hotter day by day in DI Khan, and it is becoming difficult to work without electricity,” Allah Noor, a resident of Burki Town, told The Express Tribune. “We have complained to Wapda time and again, but no action has been taken. Now, we have no option but to protest.”
Wapda officials tried to appease the protesters, but left after the crowd began to move towards them, chanting slogans.
The police then arrived on the scene and dispersed the protesters using baton charge.
However, Wapda officials assured them that another feeder will be used to provide electric supply to the affected villages by May 22.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 18th, 2014.
Large crowds of people gathered to protest against excessive load-shedding in DI Khan city on Saturday. Protesters blocked the main DI Khan-Zhob road by burning tyres, disrupting traffic between Peshawar and Quetta for many hours.
They chanted slogans against the district, provincial and federal governments, and the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) for their failure to put a halt to the long hours of unscheduled load-shedding.
Members of civil society, workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl were part of the protest.
Twelve villages, especially Kotla Sydan, Burki Town and Lauchra’s residents are facing many hours of power outages. Ex-naib nazim DI Khan, Umar Farooq, told the protesters that Wapda officials are themselves involved in corruption. Farooq claimed that they pardon legal fines while imposing illegal ones on residents.
“It is getting hotter day by day in DI Khan, and it is becoming difficult to work without electricity,” Allah Noor, a resident of Burki Town, told The Express Tribune. “We have complained to Wapda time and again, but no action has been taken. Now, we have no option but to protest.”
Wapda officials tried to appease the protesters, but left after the crowd began to move towards them, chanting slogans.
The police then arrived on the scene and dispersed the protesters using baton charge.
However, Wapda officials assured them that another feeder will be used to provide electric supply to the affected villages by May 22.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 18th, 2014.