Islamabad: Police in Karachi used tear gas and baton-charged residents of Lyari who were out protesting near the Mauripur road, against K-Electric for carrying out unannounced and prolonged power loadshedding and frequent breakdowns, Dawn reported on Tuesday.
The demonstrators, who have been protesting since last night, burnt tyres and blocked the road for traffic for the second day running which links the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and SITE industrial areas.
However, at 11am on Tuesday, the police baton charged the protesters after they refused to vacate the main road. Footage on DawnNewsTV showed police commandos firing tear gas at the demonstrators who were chanting slogans against the power utility management and demanding restoration of supply.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Asif Bughio, the residents dispersed for a while after the police action but then resumed the protest soon after. Electricity in several areas of Lyari, particularly the one adjacent to Mauripur road, has been suspended since 4pm on Monday, he said.
Bughio said that they have reached out to the KE management to "calm down" the protestors and prevent the situation from escalating. He added that their first priority was to resolve the issue through talks.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the traffic police said that the protest had created an immense traffic congestion near the Jinnah Bridge and M T Khan Road.
Separately, protests against water shortages were also reported from other parts of the metropolis early Tuesday morning. According to the traffic police, the residents of Liaquatabad's Dak Khana, Shah Faisal Colonty-2 and Kala Pul took to the streets.
In the wee hours of the day today, a large number of Lines Areas residents came out on main Sharea Faisal and blocked the key road near Gora Qabristan.
They blamed the KE for keeping their supply off for 13 hours. Shouting slogans against the power utility management and demanding restoration of their supply, the protest caused a traffic jam on one track of the arterial Sharea Faisal.
Earlier, a Dawn report stated that people were facing 12 to 14 hours of power outages in extremely hot weather, which had made their lives miserable.
Yesterday, residents from Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Surjani Town, New Karachi, Federal B. Area, F. C Area, Burnes Road, Defence Housing Authority, Clifton, Baldia Town, Manghopir, Orangi Town, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony, Model Colony, Shaheed-i-Millat Road, Khokhrapar, PECHS, Mehmoodabad, and Defence View apartments said that the KE was carrying out unannounced loadshedding for hours in their areas.
Students appearing in intermediate exams have been facing severe problems due to prolonged loadshedding as they had to take their papers in hot and humid weather. Also, they are unable to prepare for their exams because of multiple spells of loadshedding in day and night times. (UNI)
