Pakistan : Power and water crisis sparks protests in Karachi, disrupts traffic on key roads

Karachi [Pakistan], November 6 (ANI): Residents in Karachi Pakistan staged a protest on Tuesday evening to express their frustration over ongoing electricity and water shortages, which resulted in a major traffic disruption.
According to the Express Tribune report, the demonstrators blocked a key road in the area, causing long vehicle queues and severe congestion, including on the Lyari Expressway. The protestors complained about daily power cuts lasting over 12 hours, with unscheduled outages becoming a regular occurrence. Additionally, they pointed out that both planned and unplanned load-shedding have severely impacted the water supply in the region.
Despite filing numerous complaints with the Water Corporation about the power outage schedule, the protesters claimed that no meaningful action had been taken to resolve the water supply issues. They called for an immediate end to both scheduled and unscheduled power cuts in the area.
The protest caused major traffic disruptions, leaving commuters stuck in a huge traffic jam as they tried to leave work, resulting in significant inconvenience.
The report further stated that after discussions with the police, the protesters agreed to peacefully disperse after receiving assurances from the authorities. The road was cleared and reopened for traffic, with the traffic police working to restore normal vehicle movement. Earlier, residents of Karachi's Jahangir Road had also held a protest, calling for an end to the ongoing power and water shortages.
The protest led to the closure of both lanes on Jahangir Road, causing significant traffic disruptions. Police were stationed at the site to handle the situation and help stranded commuters. Meanwhile, the Battagram Trade Union declared a full shutter-down strike and sit-in starting Tuesday, in protest against the continuous power outages in the district.
The union also announced plans to withhold electricity bill payments until the power supply schedule is restored to normal.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has increased electricity rates for Karachi by Rs0.40 per unit as part of the monthly adjustment for August 2024.
A notification from NEPRA confirmed that these additional charges will be included in consumers' bills for January 2025 by K-Electric. Previously, K-Electric had requested a reduction of Rs0.16 per unit in the power tariff due to fuel cost adjustments (FCA) for September 2024.
On Tuesday, Mayor Murtaza Wahab announced that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) had collected Rs228 million in municipal utility charges through K-Electric bills in just one month. He highlighted that KMC's goal is to raise Rs3 billion annually from municipal taxes, which will be allocated to development projects across the city, as well as to cover pensions and other dues for municipal employees. Wahab assured that the details of these receipts and expenditures would be made available online for transparency.
During a press conference at KMC's headquarters, where he was joined by Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad, Wahab emphasized that it was time to hold accountable those who have opposed the collection of municipal taxes through K-Electric. (ANI)