May 19, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1429

SUKKUR, May 18: People of different localities of Sukkur held demonstrations on Sunday in protest against unannounced loadshedding and shortage of water, which has almost paralysed normal life in the city.Irked by hours-long loadshedding and scarcity of water, hundreds of citizens held demonstrations in New Pind, Mughal Colony, Old Sukkur and other areas while shouting slogans against Hesco and the taluka municipal administration.

The protesters told newsmen that while power outages have irked the people and paralysed normal activities in the city water supply to them is often suspended on one pretext or the other, due to which people are made to brave the dual curse of loadshedding and scarcity of water.

Mohammad Hanif Bandhani, naib nazim of union council-15, told journalists that residents of New Goth and Adam Shah colony were being supplied water from Kirthar canal and, after suspension of water supply from Kirthar canal, residents of these areas were facing hardships who had to fetch water from low lying areas of the city where hand pumps have been installed.

Water supply system in Sukkur was in a shambles, as nothing has been done to upgrade it according to the increasing needs of the citizens, therefore, water supply to them is often cut- off, either on the pretext of loadshedding or inoperation of suction pumps, and for the last ten days the people of Sukkur were longing for water, but the taluka municipal administration has miserably failed to supply uninterrupted water to the

people, thus adding to their miseries.