QUETTA: Traffic remained suspended for several hours on Monday when farmers protesting against loadshedding and withdrawal of subsidy on tariff on tube-wells blocked national highways in Balochistan at many places.

The call for protest was given by the Balochistan Zamindar Action Committee.

The protesters blocked highways at Yaro, Kuchlak, Muslim Bagh, Zhob, Loralai, Lakpass, Kolpur, Mastung, Kalat, Nushki and Sibi Nari Bridge, suspending transport service between Quetta and Karachi, Jacobabad and Dera Ismail Khan.

Traffic from Pakistan to Afghanistan via Chaman border and Iran via Taftan border also remained suspended from morning to evening.

At a place in Dasht, the protesters held a demonstration. Zamindar committee’s president Malik Nasir Shahwani and other leaders criticised officials of Wapda and the Quetta Electric Supply Company and held them responsible for problems being faced by farmers.

They said their work had been badly affected by long hours of loadshedding and voltage fluctuation.

They said Qesco delivered bills every month, but provided electricity only for two hours in a day.

The speakers lashed out at the federal government for its decision to withdraw subsidy on electricity bills for tube wells. They said the Musharraf regime had not only continued subsidy on electricity bills for tube wells, but also waived farmers’ outstanding dues.

They warned of expanding the scope of their protest if the federal government did not withdraw its decision and normal power supply to tube wells was not restored.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2015

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