Pakistan bursts into protests as power crisis deepens

The people in various cities and towns of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Pakistan have taken to streets against the unannounced power outages, extending up to 20 hours a day in some areas, as the power crisis in the country is deepening with every passing day.

Protesters in various areas are losing their patience and tempers and venting their resentment by torching tyres on roads, blocking traffic on roads and chanting slogans against the power distribution companies as well as the government.

Besides affecting general public in the hot and humid weather conditions in the country, the power crisis is badly affecting the industries and triggering multiple crises in the country. People are also complaining of faults in the household electric appliances because of low voltage and unexpected power outages with short intervals.

“Besides the terrorism incidents, several other crises including power shortage have made life of people miserable but it seems the rulers have no time to address other problems except serving the US interests and political manoeuvrings,” said Saqib Nisar, a resident of Rawalpindi, while criticising the coalition government led by the Pakistan People’s Party.

“People are committing suicides because of hunger and poverty but the rulers seem oblivious to the miseries of the people. They are busy in multiplying problems of masses in the name of serving the poor. It seems the country is being pushed to chaos and anarchy under a well-knit conspiracy,” commented another angry protester in Rawalpindi, declining to identify himself. “Rulers are employing diverse tactics to eliminate the poor.”