Protests in Pakistan's Rawalpindi against inflated electricity bills
Aug 24, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], August 24 : The people of several localities in Rawalpindi have staged a protest against inflated electricity bills by blocking GT Road and Marrir Chowk of the city, local media reported on Wednesday.
According to Dawn newspaper, the protests were held in Rawat in Dhoke Ratta and Murree Road. The protesters burnt electricity bills and demanded the government to abolish all taxes on electricity bills.
Besides holding demonstrations outside the Iesco offices, people resorted to social media to criticise Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet members.
"This is ridiculous. Where should I go? How will I feed my family," Rafique Ahmed, who was protesting on Murree Road, said, as per Dawn.
He added that he was earning PKR 15,000 per month and was living in a small house with his family. He said he just used two fans in the summer, and for that, Iesco had sent him a bill of PKR 25,000.
Apart from it, protests have also erupted in different parts of Pakistan's Karachi due to the unannounced and prolonged load shedding.
In different areas of Karachi, residents participated in protests after an unannounced and prolonged load shedding in the city, ARY News reported.
Meanwhile, the resident also staged protests outside the K-Electric office and in Sir Syed Town Kalyana of the North Karachi area.
The residents of Quaidabad held a protest near Daud Chawrangi and blocked a road for traffic.
Earlier, on August 12, frustrated by prolonged and unannounced load shedding, angry residents of Sachal Goth had marched towards the K-Electric (KE) office and attacked it.
The protestors had pelted stones at the KE office and broke the windows of its vehicles. On their way to the office, the protestors also burnt tyres against the prolonged load shedding, reported ARY News.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz said the federal government was making all-out efforts to revive the stalled power plants to put an end to the huge energy crisis faced by the country, reported Geo News.
Pakistan already has two long-term supply deals with Qatar -- the first signed in 2016 for five cargoes a month, and the second in 2021, under which Pakistan currently gets three monthly shipments but the nation is currently under a massive grip of widespread power outrages as procurement of the chilled fuel remains unreliable and expensive due to its increased reliance on LNG for electricity generation.
The fast depletion of the foreign exchange reserves was the result of Pakistan's inflation of twin deficits, and a lack of foreign currency inflows.
