LAHORE: The Jamaat-i-Islami staged on Friday sit-ins outside the power distribution companies in several Punjab cities in protest at, what it called, unscheduled and oppressive loadshedding in the country.

In Lahore, the party held a sit-in outside the Lesco office where JI Secretary-General Liaqat Baloch said electricity was now a basic necessity for every citizen like health, education, security, jobs and shelter but the government had failed to provide it.

He recalled that the PML-N leadership had made tall claims of overcoming energy crisis within six months of taking over, but it had failed to resolve this issue even after being in power for four years.

He said the helpless consumers had to foot fat electricity bill every month even though they did not get electricity for long durations.

According to a JI press release, countrywide demonstrations were held against loadshedding on the appeal of emir Sirajul Haq. Protest rallies were held in federal and provincial capitals and big and small cities.

JI deputy chief Dr Farid Piracha addressed the rally at Gujranwala and criticised the government for failing to fulfill its promise of overcoming energy crisis.

Demonstrations were also held at Hyderabad, Quetta, Islamabad, Peshawar, Sukkur and Karachi.

FAISALABAD: Party activists protested at the Fesco headquarters and burnt an effigy of water and power minister Abid Sher Ali. They sank power bills in the canal outside the headquarters. They also held a sit-in before Friday prayers.

JI office-bearers Sardar Zafar, Azeem Randhawa and Ghulam Abbas told reporters that despite increasing the rates of the electricity, the government had failed to overcome the power shortage. They also warned the minister to refrain from using objectionable remarks against their party emir.

VEHARI: The JI staged a protest demonstration against outages in front of the Mepco Vehari circle office.

They also staged a sit-in for two hours and blocked Multan-Vehari Road.

JI leaders Tufail Warraich, Waqas Hinjra and Engr Rafique criticised the government for loadshedding and demanded that Nawaz Sharif resign from the prime minister office.

LAYYAH: JI activists protested against loadshedding outside the Layyah Press Club.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2017