KHUZDAR: Hundreds of landowners and farmers blocked the Quetta-Karachi Natioanl Highway at Khuzdar in protest against prolonged power loadshedding which they said was destroying standing crops in Khuzdar and adjacent areas.

The highway blockade suspended all kinds of traffic between Sindh and Balochistan and long queues of vehicles were fomred on both sides, causing inconvenience for the passengers.

The protesters gathered at Zero Point in Khuzdar on Friday and blocked the highway by putting barricades and boulders.

Speaking at the rally, protest leaders said that 18 to 20 hours of daily power load-shedding is destroying wheat and other crops.

They demanded the government to end the “economic massacre” of landowners and farmers and ensure uninterrupted power supply to all agricultural feeders so that crops could be watered.

Later, the Khuzdar additional deputy commissioner held successful talks with leaders of the protest and assured them of resolving their problem.

After getting assurance from the administration, the farmers ended their protest and the highway was opened for traffic.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2024