SUKKUR: A large nu-mber of residents staged a demonstration on Rohri-Sukkur road in protest against prolonged loadshedding of electricity and gas, and non-supply of tap water to several areas in old and new city on Thursday.

The demonstrators from Thermal Colony, Bakhar Chowk, Wasapur Mohalla and several areas came out on the streets and blocked the main road joining the twin cities of Sukkur and Rohri.

Carrying placards and clubs, the protesters raised charged slogans against Sepco, the municipal corporation, and waterworks and Sui Southern Gas Company officials for making their life miserable.

Setting old tyres and junk items on fire before the Lansdowne Bridge road, the enraged demonstrators said it was due to the incompetence of the municipal corporation that residents of Numaish Ground, Nusrat Colony-V, Baban Shah Colony, Dabba Road, Shahi Bazaar, Jinaat Building, Rahil Road, Bakhar Chowk, Wasapur Mohalla, Thermal Colony and other areas had remained without tap water for the past week and the officials concerned were only giving lame excuses.

The affected residents told reporters that they, along with their young children, had carried empty utensils in search of water for drinking and preparation of daily meals. They had to cover long distances to bring water from private filter plants and hand pumps, they added.

They lashed out at Sepco for unscheduled loadshedding of electricity in those areas.

The protesters also said that on the one hand there was no water while on the other the long power outages had made their life miserable.

They said that hours long loadshedding of gas and its low pressure had also compelled them to stage protests.

The protesters converged on the main road after marching from their areas and suspended the flow of traffic. They were demanded resolution of those issues which had made their lives miserable.

The demonstration brought movement of vehicular traffic to a halt for hours on both sides of the road, prompting police to persuade the protesters to end agitation and open the road for traffic.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2023