Lahore: Loadshedding and power protests continued in Punjab, with the electricity shortfall quoted at 8,000 megawatts and some areas reported to be without power supply for longer than eight hours at a stretch, Express News reported on Monday.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has taken notice of the prolonged electricity outages and has summoned the petroleum minister.
Authorities said in order to cope with the increasing shortfall of power supply, load shedding has to be stretched to longer hours.
Grid stations in different areas of Lahore have been shut since 7am. Moreover, due to prolonged absence of power supply in southern Lahore, the city suffers from a shortage of water supply as well. While areas like Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Chiniot receive power supply for only three hours a day.
Various cities under FESCO (Faisalabad Electricity Supply Company) go through twenty hours of severe loadshedding. While more than twenty-two hours of loadshedding in villages has disturbed daily life routines.
Sukkur and internal Sindh cities face twelve hours of loadshedding daily, while villages go through sixteen hours of no power supply. As a result of the severe energy crisis, businesses are suffering, and hundred thousands of labourers are unemployed.
Civilians Protests against Loadshedding
Infuriated mobs in different areas of Faisalabad carried out rallies against the on-going power crisis, while enraged people threw stones and broke windows of three private banks, near Dhandiwala. Protestors damaged ATM machines and CNG stations in the area.
Protests continued despite baton charging by the police. The mob looted stores and stole from fruit vendors.
Traffic was blocked by burning tyres on Marine Road.
Protestors armed with sticks in Khanewal, forcefully shut down shops of the area. The SHO of the city arrived on the scene infuriating the mob even further. As a result the SHO fled inside a house, on which the protestors started stoning the building.
The protesters were dispersed through aerial firing and shelling which injured seven demonstrators.
Demonstrations also took place in Jahaniya, Pakpattan and Lahore.
Infuriated protestors barged into the LESCO (Lahore Electricity Supply Company) office, burning the documents and furniture, and ran away with the electricity wires.
Protests continued for several hours while police was nowhere to be seen.
At Kamnuki, protestors tried to ignite the grid stations, while GT Road was shut down due to the protests at Sadhuki.
Wapda offices and educational institutions were set on fire near Sargodha.
The GEPCO office was set fire on in Hafizabad, while at Zafarwal, Federal Minister Tariq Anees’ caravan was stopped, three people were injured when the guard opened fire.
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