ISLAMABAD – A huge number of protesters on Monday surrounded the office of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) in garrison city of Rawalpindi as protests against inflated electricity has entered the fourth day.
Protesters are carrying banners and placards against the electric supply company amid sloganeering against the officials. They are demanding reduction in their electricity bills which saw increase following the recent power tariff hike and imposition of additional taxes.
The protests are also being held in different cities of Punjab, including Sargodha, Hafizabad, Vehari, Arifwala, Bahawalnagar, Hyderabad, Gujrat, Multan, Chichawatni, Mandi Bahauddin, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Pakpattan, Mansehra, Sahiwal, Rawalpindi, Lodhran and Sheikhupura.
Men, women, farmers, traders and members of the civil society are also among the protesters, who are calling the exorbitant bill an injustice to them.
Meanwhile, a shutter-down strike was observed in various parts of Hyderabad against the higher electricity bills. Protesters also closed roads for traffic and demanded the government to reverse price hike in electricity prices.
Masses across Pakistan took to streets against overpricing in electricity bills, with fuming protesters blocking key arteries in multiple cities, burning tires and chanting slogans against authorities as people are literally battling to get food and basic commodities.
A day earlier, caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar chaired an urgent meeting with power authorities in which the premier ordered that there would be no free electricity for all government employees.
During the meeting, Kakar was briefed by the power division on what determines the price of power tariff.
After getting suggestions, the Prime Minister issued directives for emergency measures to resolve electricity theft across a nation of 240 million, which is bearing the brunt of economic meltdown.
Power division officials apprised the top officials that the burden of electricity costs was not being passed on to the all consumers equally, and pointed out several concerns, including free supply of electricity for retired WAPDA staffers and DISCO employees.
It was reported that payments worth Rs2 trillion have to be made under capacity payments in the next year alone, the government told.
Officials apprised that surge in power tariff has not affected over 60 percent domestic consumers, saying the elevated rates have been applied to consumers using over 400 units.
The meeting also mulled over provision of maximum relief to the masses over electricity bills.
Separately, on his X handle, the prime minister posted that he summoned an emergency meeting over these issues in the PM House and would hold consultations to provide maximum relief to power consumers.
Pakistanis make public announcement in mosques against paying electricity bills amid mass protests
