Winter woes: Hundreds protest against gas load shedding

The demonstrators closed Rajana-Toba Tek Singh Road for traffic .


Our Correspondent December 16, 2014

FAISALABAD: Hundreds of people from Kamalia came together on Tuesday to stage a protest demonstration against the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL).

The demonstrators gathered at the Rajana-Toba Tek Singh Road and closed it for traffic. Speaking to The Express Tribune Khalida Sharif, a resident of Mohalla Fatehpur, said there had been no gas in her locality for five days. She said the residents had appealed to SNGPL officials to restore the supply in vain. Arifa Shafiq, another demonstrator, said gas load shedding had caused several arguments in her family as she had been unable to do domestic chores for five days. She said men and children from the area had reached schools and colleges late as they had not been served breakfast in time.



Akram Hussain, another protester, said the residents of his locality had been unable to prepare meals due to low gas pressure. He said the load shedding had aggravated the problem manifold. Hussain said the residents of his locality had urged an SNGPL official to restore gas supply to the area. He said the official had stopped gas supply altogether after the residents had refused to bribe him.

Haroon Haider, another demonstrator, said the load shedding had disrupted the daily routines of the people. He said the women were unable to prepare meals for their families and the children had not been able to reach school on time.

The protesters raised slogans against the SNGPL and demanded immediate restoration of gas supply with adequate pressure to their localities.



A team from the Kamalia police station failed to disperse the protesters. Some protesters threw stones at the policemen who threatened to baton charge them, the Kamalia station house officer visited the scene and managed to placate the protesters.

The demonstrators called their protest off after the police officer assured them that the issue would be resolved amicably.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2014.

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