KARACHI: A traffic mess was witnessed on I.I. Chundrigar Road, Mauripur Road, Saddar and adjoining areas due to the protest organised by hundreds of residents of Lyari in protest over loadshedding of gas and electricity in their area.

The protesters, mostly belonging to the Kutchhi community of Lyari, chanted slogans against the K-Electric and Sui Southern Gas Company.

They said that the power utility resorted to up to 18-hour of loadshedding while there was no sign of gas in their area for 16 hours on a daily basis.

Later, the protesters planned to march on Chief Minister House. However, contingents of the police were already deployed at the Shaheen Complex traffic intersection to prevent them from moving towards the CM House. Traffic on the I.I. Chundrigar Road was also badly affected for some time.

Later, the protesters dispersed after police convinced them to end their demonstration.

Published in Dawn, january 8th, 2023