RAHIM YAR KHAN: Dozens of enraged power consumers protesting inflated electricity bills, mostly women, forced their entry into Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) Sadiqabad office on Wednesday, making the staff flee the premises to avoid their wrath.

The protesters, including women, carrying sticks and holding electricity bills in their hands had gathered outside the Mepco executive engineer’s office in Satellite Town, Sadiqabad, in protest against inflated bills, unjustified taxes and over-reading of their meters, on the second consecutive day on Wednesday.

As no Mepco official came out to hear their grievance, the protesters got enraged, blocking the road and pelting the office’s gate with stones, which had been closed by security guards.

Some of the protesters broke the lock of the gate and stormed the Mepco office’s premises. Meanwhile, Mepco staff fled away locking their offices.

The protesters chanted slogans against the government and Mepco administration over high power tariff and unjustified taxes included in the bills.

Later, Mepco officials called the police which disperse the protesters.

LAID TO REST: An army soldier, Lance Niak Waheed Suleman, who embraced martyrdom in an operation against terrorists in South Waziristan on Monday, was laid to rest at his native village Chak 135-P, Khanwali, near Pattan Minara on Tuesday.

A large number of relatives and friends of the martyred soldier and other locals, along with army officials, attended the funeral prayers at the village.

Later, he was laid to rest in the local graveyard.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2023