—— Protesters demand withdrawal of taxes from electricity bills
—— Civil society, traders, farmers, lawyers join protests
—— KKH blocked in Battagram
—— Surround IESCO offices in Rawalpindi
—— Already struggling to make ends meet, protestors decry power hike
Staff Report
Rawalpindi: Hundreds of people surrounded the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) office in Rawalpindi on Monday as protests triggered by inflated electricity bills continued in many parts of the country for the fourth day.
The IESCO officials have called in the police for extra security as protesters shouted slogans against the electric utility company, demanding that the exorbitant charges be reduced or they would not pay their bills.
Incensed citizens already battered by skyrocketing inflation continue to take to the streets protesting against massive hike in electricity tariffs and increased taxes in several cities, including Sargodha, Hafizabad, Vehari, Arifwala, Bahawalnagar, Hyderabad, Gujrat, Multan, Chichawatni,
Mandi Bahauddin, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Pakpattan, Mansehra, Sahiwal, Rawalpindi, Lodhran and Sheikhupura.
Those attending these demonstrations include members of the civil society — both men and women — traders, farmers, and members of the legal and business fraternities. Hyderabad, today, witnessed a shutter-down strike in various areas of the city, while shops remained closed in Market Tower, Sereghat, Shahi Bazar, Anaj Mandi, Masan Road, and Prince Road. The Chamber of Commerce announced a shutdown in a meeting of business organisations.
A similar situation was witnessed in Mansehra where all business centers across the district, including the city, remained closed.
In other cities, protestors blocked main arteries, leading to traffic jams and disruptions. They held up placards and banners protesting what they term a “cruel” increase in the utility bill.
The power hike comes amid back-breaking inflation and skyrocketing prices which have already left people reeling, unable to make ends meet.
“It was [already] difficult to afford two square meals a day, now where will we get money for extra electricity bill?” an elderly villager in Sargodha demanded during protests today.
A protestor in Bahawalpur lamented that his family had to sell their animals to pay off the bills last month, while women protesting in Multan asserted that they were already struggling to make ends meet without the additional burden of power tariffs.
Protesters in Muzzafargarh lashed out at the government saying that rocketing electricity bills have destroyed their businesses.
Moreover, Protests against inflated electricity bills across the country continued for the fourth day on Monday.
Interestingly, an emergency meeting held on Sunday at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad ended without a decision.
LAHORE
In several areas of Lahore, people came out on the streets against high electricity bills.
The angry protesters said they could not feed their families if they pay electricity bills. They threatened that they would stage sit-in inside Wapda House if taxes were not withdrawn.
Meanwhile, government employees and businessmen also registered their protest against the inflated electricity bills. They demanded that facility of free electricity to officers should be withdrawn.
The members of Wasa Phool Union also protested in the offices against the increase in electricity bills.
On the other hand, Hall Road traders vent their anger against huge increase in electricity bills. Anjuman-i-Tajran President Babar Mahmood Butt said if the increase in electricity bills was not withdrawn, they would be forced to take to the streets.
RAWALPINDI
Hundreds of citizens surrounded the grid station at Bakra Mandi and burnt electricity bills. They chanted slogans against the government.
They said the government was sucking their blood by adding and hiking taxes in the bills. They warned Iesco officials that they would not allow them to cut their connections.
MULTAN
People came out on the streets in large numbers against inflated electricity bills. They raised slogans against the government.
They demanded that the government should remove additional taxes from the electricity bills immediately. They said the rulers were enjoying luxuries of life by collecting taxes from the poor.
FAISALABAD
People protested against increase in electricity bills. They raised slogans against the government and Wapda and demanded withdrawal of taxes.
Meanwhile, police and Elite forces were deployed to protect Fesco offices and grid stations in many areas of the city.
BAHAWALPUR
Protests against Wapda were held at Fawara Chowk, Lorry Adda, Multan Road and many other places in the city.
The protesters demanded that taxes in the bills should be withdrawn. They said they could not feed their families if pay electricity bills.
SHEIKHUPURA
People continued to protest against the increase in electricity prices.
A protest rally was organised on Sargodha Road by the Anjuman-i-Tajran. The protesters set up a camp outside the Wapda complex and locked the gate.
They shouted slogans against the government and Wapda and burnt electricity bills.
KHUSHAB
Protests were organised in Khushab and Joharabad against the inflated electricity bills. The Anjuman Tajran staged a partial strike and demanded withdrawal of additional taxes and increasing existing taxes in electricity bills.
Traders also took out rallies against the cruel tax in electricity bills, citizens set fire to electricity bills in protest.
Citizens came out on the streets in large numbers against heavy electricity bills in Mandra. Hundreds of people, including women and children, gathered on GT Road. They shouted slogans against the government. They blocked Mandra-Chakwal Road causing traffic jam.
BALAKOT
The business community and common man rejected the increase in electricity bills. Members of the Anjuman-i-Tajran pulled shutters of their shops down. A rally was also taken out against hike in taxes and inflated electricity bills.
MANSEHRA
A complete shutter-down strike was held in Mansehra on the call of the Anjuman-i-Tajran. All business centres in the district were closed.
Traders and citizens took out a rally and after marching through the city roads, reached Wapda office where they staged a sit-in.
Protests were also reported from Kamra Cantt, Charsadda, Swabi and Mardan.
PM says govt will not take any step ‘in haste’
The meeting chaired by the premier on Sunday was apprised that electricity worth Rs1 billion was provided free of cost to Wapda/Discos employees whereas a common citizen was paying up to Rs42 for each unit.
A statement issued by the PMO quoted Kakar as saying, “We will not take any step in haste that will harm the country. We will take measures that will not further burden the national exchequer and will facilitate the consumers.
The PM said, “It is not possible that while people face difficulties, high-ranked officials and the prime minister continue to consume free electricity paid for with the taxes people pay.”
He directed relevant departments and ministries to submit the details of officers who were being provided free electricity.
“I represent the common man,” the premier claimed, pledging that measures would be implemented to minimise electricity consumption at the PM House and Pak Secretariat.
PM Kakar said that today he would hold a detailed consultation with provincial chief ministers on the inflated bills for July and the implementation of measures for energy conservation.
He also sought a roadmap from electricity distribution companies to curb electricity theft, the statement said, adding that relevant authorities were directed to submit “a short-, medium- and long-term plan for reforms in the power sector as soon as possible”.
In a statement on ‘X’, erstwhile Twitter, he said the interim government would try to provide as much relief to people as possible while operating within its mandate.
