PESHAWAR: The consumers in many parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa took out rallies, observed sit-ins and blocked roads for the fifth straight day on Sunday against the inflated electricity bills.

In many localities of Peshawar, the protesters also set power bills on fire.

Initially, the business community had started protesting against the expensive electricity, which was also followed by other segments of society, including civil society organisations. However, unlike the past, the political parties have so far stayed away from leading such demonstrations. The lack of interest on part of the politicians to raise forceful voice against the unprecedented price hike, has led to annoyance among the public.

The charged protesters alleged that powerful sections were stealing electricity without any check. They asked the government to remove all taxes from the electricity bills, or they would continue protesting.

Meanwhile, All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajiran central vice-president Zafar Khattak, in a statement on Sunday, said that the business community was fully unified against the ‘illegal’ taxes in power bills. He said that while people were struggling to make both ends meet the government was forcing them to launch a civil disobedience campaign by continuing to increase power tariff.

Traders’ body to hold rally tomorrow

Similarly, Anjuma-i-Tajiran Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also announced to take out a big procession on GT Road on Aug 29 (Tuesday).

Malik Meher Elahi, a leader of the traders’ body, told Dawn that protest call had been given by Anjuma-i-Tajiran Pakistan (Ajmal Baloch group). He said that members of the business community would gather at the Chowk Yadgaar to march towards the Ashraf Road and GT Road.

“We will announce a date for complete shutter down strike on Aug 29 in case the government failed to slash power bills,” Mr Elahi said. He said that all segments of the society would also participate in the procession.

Meanwhile, residents of various localities held a demonstration in Namak Mandi under the banner of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s Peshawar chapter. The protesters shouted slogans against the expensive electricity and oppressive taxes. They marched from Namak Mandi Chowk to Shuba Bazaar Chowk.

In Swabi, the Peshawar Electric Supply Company consumers hailing from Saleem Khan area and suburbs demonstrated on Sunday against the inflated electricity bills, declaring that they won’t pay them.

The protesters chanted slogans against Pesco and the country’s elite class for ‘corruption’. They said that inclusion of several taxes had rendered the consumers unable to pay the power bills.

In Kohat, at a protest meeting held under the auspices of grand businessmen alliance on Sunday, the traders demanded withdrawal of all ‘illegal’ taxes from the electricity bills.

A statement issued after the meeting said that the participants deplored the fact that fuel adjustment charges and other taxes had pushed the per-unit cost to exorbitant Rs50. They said that despite inflated power bills, the consumers were being subjected to excessive loadshedding for 10 to 15 hours.

The participants warned to block all the major roads in Kohat if the different taxes were not withdrawn from power bills.

Prominent among the participants were chairman of Tajir Action Committee Ameer Khan Afridi, chairman of grand businessmen alliance Haji Abid Khan and president of Sons of Kohat Shah Mehmood.

They regretted that those who stole the electricity with the connivance of Pesco staffers were sent bills of only Rs2,000.

In Abbottabad, the people came out onto the streets to record their anger against the inflated electricity bills and announced that they would not pay the bills.

The residents of Lambi Dheri, Supply, Malik Pura, Nawansher, Kunj, Kehal and other areas also held meetings to devise a future line of action. They also made announcements from mosque loudspeakers asking people to stop paying the bills.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2023