News
Monday, April 12, 2010
Protests continue as government fails to reduce load sheddingDaily Times Monitor
LAHORE: Citizens across the country protested against the prolonged load shedding as the government failed to reduce the duration of the power outages in the country, a private TV channel reported on Sunday.
Citizens, enraged over the 14-to-17 hour marathon power cuts took to the streets in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, Khangarh, Dera Ghazi (DG) Khan, Multan, Hyderabad and other cities.
In Gujranwala, where people are experiencing 14 to 16 hours of power shutdowns in urban areas and 18 to 20 hours in rural areas, hundreds gathered at the Aiwan Roundabout and staged a protest demonstration. The protesters blocked the main highway connecting Lahore to Islamabad by setting tyres on fire.
According to the channel, due to continued load shedding, more than 200 small industrial units have also been closed in Gujranwala, leaving thousands jobless.
Traders in Multan took out a rally against the ongoing power outages and inflation outside the Timber Market. They set tyres on fire and threatened to observe a shutter down strike on April 14 if the duration of load shedding is not reduced.
Instead of any reprieve, people in Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, Khangarh and DG Khan saw the duration of power shutdowns increase to 17 hours, while the situation in Balochistan and several parts of Sindh was stated to be similar, the channel added.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk