Residents of Pakistan's Karak protest against lack of gas, other facilities, block highway

Islamabad [Pakistan], October 18 : Residents of the Pakistani city Karak staged protests and blocked the Indus Highway with burning tyres for seven hours over lack of gas, other basic amenities on Saturday, local media reported.
Police stopped them from moving to Banda Daud Shah, to stage a sit-in outside the Central Processing Facility (CPF) of oil and gas exploration companies, reported Dawn.
Former Member of National Assembly and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) activist Maulana Shah Abdul Aziz -- who led the protests -- had earlier announced to hold an 'armed demonstration' outside the CPF against delay in the provision of gas to the residents in various areas of the district.
Protesters, including some armed ones, on Saturday morning, started moving to Banda Daud Shah. The district administration and police stopped them at Amberi Kallay Chowk.
After being stopped, protesters set old tyres on fire on the road and blocked the route for the traffic for nearly seven hours.
Hamid Iqbal, Karak's Assistant Commissioner, held talks with Shah Abdul Aziz and leaders of a local rights organisation. The administration allowed the protesters to go to Banda Daud Shah, where they staged protests at the gate of CPF, according to Dawn.