Protests held on Mauripur Road against excessive load shedding

• Protestors blocked the Main Mauripur Road in protest
• Heavy contingent of Police, Rangers was deployed
• Police fired tear gas, water cannons to disperse protestors.

KARACHI: Protests have been held on Tuesday against prolonged and unannounced load-shedding in different lower and middle-income areas of the city.

Residents of Agra Taj Colony and Mauripur staged a protest against excessive power failure in their locality for 13 hours daily. The protests have been ongoing since Monday over the power cuts.

A massive traffic jam was witnessed due to the protest which blocked access to Native Jetty and Jinnah Bridge. The flow of traffic to the port was also hampered due to the protests.

The protestors also pelted stones at the police who baton-charged to disperse them. Amid the stiff resistance, police eventually fired tear gas and used water canons to break up the protest.

At least fours protestors were also taken into custody. The protestors said they will not end their protest until K-electric officials negotiate with them and resolve the matter.

Police closed the Lyari Expressway for traffic at Garden Interchange to Mauripur road. Heavy contingents of police and rangers deployed at the Mauripur road.

Amid the hot and humid temperature, people fed up with hours-long power outages finally decided to lodge their protest. Many localities have been facing power cuts up to 15 hours daily.

Several areas facing the worst power outages including Hijrat Colony, Sultanabad, Nazimabad, Gulistan-e-Johar and others.

On Monday, residents of Hijrat Colony and Sultanabad blocked PIDC bridge and MT Khan Road to protest against the prolonged load shedding. The protestors raised slogans against the government and K-Electric.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Gulistan-e-Jauhar where hundreds of people converged on Johar Morr and blocked main Rashid Minhas Road for vehicular traffic, demanding restoration of power supply.

READ MORE: Power outages reach up to 15 hours in Karachi

Two more protest demonstrations were staged near Perfume Chowk and Safari Park on main University Road. Traffic was diverted to alternative routes due to the blockade causing severe traffic jams.

As per reports from different areas of the city, Shah Faisal Colony, Malir, Lyari, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Model Colony, North Nazimabad, Orangi Town and various areas of Clifton have been braving the electricity shortfall amid the scorching summer.

The citizens complained that the electricity load shedding has reached up to 15 hours daily. In some areas, K-Electric has started load shedding on the pretext of maintenance for up to 10 hours daily while exempted areas have also been braving the cuts of up to eight hours.

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