MULTAN, Nov 17: Women belonging to the families of local powerloom owners and workers staged a sit-in here on Sunday to protest against high power tariff.

About 150 women of various age groups gathered at Manzoorabad Chowk to raise voice against the diminishing income in powerloom sector in the wake of high electricity cost. The protest was organized by the powerloom owners’ association.

The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against Wapda and their demand that electricity rates be reduced for the powerloom industry.

The women were chanting slogans and beating their chests to express their helplessness in making both ends meet due to meagre earnings of their menfolk.

Speakers on the occasion vowed to continue their struggle until power tariff was rationalised. Also present were PML-N MPA-elect Babu Nafees Ansari, powerloom owners association president Munir Ansari and secretary-general Khalid Qandeel Sindhu.

They said the cottage industry was in crisis due to the faulty economic policies of the government especially vis-a-vis power tariff and taxation.

Mr Munir announced that an all-Pakistan convention of powerloom owners would soon be convened in Multan to strengthen the struggle for a just power tariff nationwide.

Local powerloom owners have launched an organized campaign during the last couple of months to highlight the matter of irrational power tariff which also includes income tax of Rs1000 per month per consumer in the powerloom sector besides a number of surcharges.