TOBA TEK SINGH: Hundreds of protesters, including women, staged protest demonstrations at Faisalabad, Shorkot Cantonment and Ahmedpur Sial on Wednesday, blocking roads against inflated electricity bills and demanding withdrawal of all surcharges slapped on the consumers.

Protesters belonging to different political parties and trade unions blocked Faisalabad’s District Council Chowk for traffic against inflated electricity bills.

The protesters erected barriers on roads and threw the traffic out of gear.

Later, they marched from the District Council Chowk to Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) headquarters on the Canal Road, carrying banners and placards demanding that increase in the power tariff should be withdrawn, bringing it down to the level it was before the present government took over.

When the protesters reached Fesco headquarters, the company’s staff locked the main gate from inside to avoid ransacking of the offices.

Protesters besiege Fesco offices, block roads

Some of the women protesters hit the gate repeatedly with the wooden sticks they were carrying, in a bid to break it open.

Some of the women also scaled the gate and succeeded in opening it. After entering the premises they set their electricity bills on fire and chanted slogans against Fesco authorities.

They announced that they would not deposit the bills if the increase in tariff was not withdrawn.

The protesters besiege the Fesco complex for more than an hour in the hot and humid weather. Later Fesco Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engr Bashir Ahmed held talks with the protest leaders, including Labour Qaumi Movement Chairman Baba Latif Ansari, Jamaat-i-Islami leader Rana Adnan Khan and others and assured them that the electricity meters of the defaulters would not be removed for two months.

The CEO also assured them that their demands would be conveyed to the federal government. Similarly, Shorkot Cantonment Fesco consumers staged a protest demonstration against the inflated bills.

They took out a rally and blocked Toba-Pirmahal road in protest against the inflated bills, demanding decrease in the power tariff.

Yet another protest demo was staged at Ahmadpur Sial in Jhang district by women and men against Fesco over the same issue. The protesters burnt their bills and chanted slogans against the company.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2022