Karachi residents stage 12-hour protest over power, water shortage

Karachi residents staged a sit-in and blocked traffic on Hawke’s Bay Road opposite Mauripur main market to express their frustration over the lack of electricity and water, reports Express Tribune.

According to reports, the 10-hour-long protest on Tuesday caused massive traffic disruptions in the area, with long queues of vehicles and citizens facing immense challenges.

Locals said that the power problem has been persisting for the past seven days, badly affecting their daily lives. They also complained about receiving high electricity bills despite power cuts and water shortage. No action was taken despite filing several complaints, which led to the protests.

A Karachi Electric spokesperson said the problem was due to non-payment of Rs 185 million Pakistani currency (PKR).

Moreover, traffic police officials said that at 9:50am on Monday, residents gathered in front of K-Electric Sahulat Centre Mauripur on Hawke’s Bay Road, blocking both lanes and disrupting traffic flow. To handle the situation, police diverted traffic from Hawke’s Bay Road towards Suparco via Musharraf Cut, while vehicles from Gulbai Truck Stand were directed to form a line.

The protest continued till 8 pm, resulting in traffic disruption on both lanes of the main highway and long queues of vehicles.

According to a traffic police spokesperson, the long protest at the main Mauripur market on Hawke’s Bay Road ended at 10:20pm, after which traffic flow was restored. The protest, which began at 9:50am on Monday, lasted for more than 12 hours and was fuelled by complaints of a lack of electricity and water.

According to Dawn, Pakistan is plagued by persistent power shortages and load shedding, particularly during the summer months. This is due to a variety of reasons, including outdated infrastructure, inefficiencies in power generation and distribution, and rising demand.