Countrywide protests against inflated electricity bills continue in several cities unabated, as people take to the streets, torch their bills and lament that the government is further pressing the poor who are already suffering due to historic inflation and rising poverty.
The Jamaat-e-Islami has decided to hold another protest today against the high bills in Islamabad. In Lahore, the party protested in Ichhra in the afternoon and said that while India had reached the moon, rulers in Pakistan are strangling the masses here.
There are 16 odd taxes in the bills and while the poor end up paying bills, the rich enjoy free electricity.
In Gujranwala, a poor ice seller protested that he can either feed his family or pay the hefty bill of Rs64,500. He came down hard on the government, saying he paid some of the bill by taking Rs30,000 as loan.
He further protested that the price of every item of basic use, including flour, ghee, sugar, has skyrocketed.
The protesters blocked the Hafizabad Road and caused a traffic jam. They also chanted slogans against the government and WAPDA and instead of paying the bills, torched them.
In Multan also, traders and citizens protest against the inflated bills and blocked roads. Farmers demanded the government reduce the electricity tariff as they were already suffering from high diesel and fertiliser prices.
In Karachi also protests were planned in several areas.
In Faisalabad, people took to the streets, chanted slogans and torched their bills. They lamented that a person earning Rs25,000 to Rs30,000 has been billed Rs100,000.
In Okara, the JI protested against the inflated bills and urged the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) to take notice.
Similar protests were reported in Jhang, Renala Khurd, Sadiqabad, Malakand. In Renala, the traders body observed a strike over the high electricity prices and took out a rally as well. They said the rulers have transferred the burden of their corruption on the poor. They demanded the price hike be reversed.
