LAHORE: To give a tough time to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz this summer, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has started its protest drive against power loadshedding, while the People’s Party has threatened to take to the street over the issue from Saturday (April 22).

PTI workers led by Jamshed Iqbal and Musarrat Cheema blocked the busy Canal Road in Fatehgarh area on Tuesday afternoon. Being one of the main city arteries, the blockade resulted in one of the worst traffic jams as queues of vehicles were seen on its both sides over a seven kilometer stretch -- from Harbanspura up to Dharmpura.

The protesters, including women and children, beat their chests, raising slogans for consistent supply of electricity as promised to them by the PML-N leaders before 2013 elections.

Mr Cheema said 16 to 20 hours loadshedding exposed the so-called experienced team of the PML-N and their “good governance” claim.

He asked the rulers to explain where thousands of megawatt power they claimed to have generated in precious media advertisements had gone, while the circular debt had again touched Rs500 billion mark.

In Shahdra also, the PTI workers blocked traffic and clashed with Water & Sanitation Agency (Wasa) officials over suspension of water supply to the area during loadshedding. Police reached the spot and arrested five of the PTI workers. The party then blocked Sheikhupura Road to protest arrest of its activists.

The PPP says that party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has given a green signal for taking to street to protest power loadshedding.

PPP Central Punjab secretary general Nadeem Afzal Chan says the protest campaign will be launched from April 22 and that the workers will bring hand-fans during the protest to mimic Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s protest over the loadshedding issue in 2012 when the PPP was in power in the Centre.

He says a protest camp will also be set up at the Minar-i-Pakistan lawns to mimic Mr Sharif’s so-called protest at the same venue.

Meanwhile, the locals also blocked Burki Road in Cantonment by setting on fire old tyres in protest against over 10-hour power outage in the area.

In Kot Lakhpat area also citizens staged a demonstration against prolonged loadshedding. They alleged that frequent power tripping was also damaging their home appliances.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2017