KARACHI: Major political parties on Friday staged protest demonstrations against prolonged power outages and water shortages in the metropolis and asked the government to end loadshedding forthwith and provide water to people during the ongoing extreme hot and humid weather conditions.

The parties that protested against the K-Electric and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation included the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan and Jamaat-i-Islami.

Lawmakers belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan staged a demonstration on the premises of the Sindh Assembly.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Karachi division organised a protest outside the K-Electric head office in Gizri against unannounced loadshedding and high electricity bills.

PTI, TLP, Jamaat warn govt of more intense agitation; MQM-P lawmakers register protest in Sindh Assembly

A large number of PTI leaders, workers, and citizens participated in the protest.

The protesters chanted slogans against K-Electric excesses and demanded that Karachi was declared a loadshedding-free zone.

The PTI leaders submitted a charter of demands at the K-Electric head office.

Addressing the protesters, PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh said that Karachi is experiencing severe loadshedding of 18 to 20 hours daily.

Life has become unbearable for citizens while over 800 deaths have been reported in recent days due to the intense heat and power outages, he added.

The PTI leader pointed out that electricity tariff had been raised three times in one month, making it impossible for people to pay their bills.

He criticised the Sindh government for sending police to stop protests and accused the PPP of siding with K-Electric instead of the people.

Mr Sheikh demanded accountability for 800 deaths reported in the last eight days, asking Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon to explain where these bodies came from?

He stated that Edhi Foundation’s Faisal Edhi, who reported the deaths, has no political agenda. Mr Sheikh also criticised the Sindh government for ‘neglecting’ Karachi over the past 16 years, which has turned the city into a concrete jungle without planting trees or improving water supply, leading to increased heat.

PTI Karachi Division President Raja Azhar also addressed the protest, challenging K-Electric CEO Moonis Alvi to disclose his electricity bill.

Mr Azhar highlighted discrepancies in electricity bills between Sindh and other provinces, with Karachi facing exorbitant rates despite generating power for the entire country.

He demanded an end to loadshedding and warned of intensified protests if K-Electric failed to comply with the demand.

Protests by JI

The JI organised around 100 protest demonstrations across Karachi over loadshedding, exorbitant bills by KE and acute shortage of water during outgoing heatwave.

The participants in protests said hundreds of deaths had been reported during the past one week, particularly from areas experiencing intense loadshedding.

The protests were mainly staged outside KE local offices, water hydrants and major points in the city.

People, belonging to all walks of life participated in the protest demonstrations.

The protesters, carrying placards and banners, chanted slogans against the KE, the water board and the government.

The protest leaders asked the government to bind the KE and the water board for bringing power outages and water shortages to an end.

JI Karachi Ameer Munem Zafar said water and electricity crises are two top problems in Karachi and both of them are interconnected.

Meanwhile, TLP leader Mufti Qasim Fakhri condemned what he called police action against party workers who staged “peaceful” demonstration against prolonged loadshedding. He demanded that the KE reduced loadshedding in this hot and humid weather.

Also on Friday, carrying placards and chanting slogans, MQM-P lawmakers held a protest outside the provincial assembly against prolonged electricity loadshedding and acute water shortage in the city.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2024