DERA MURAD JAMALI: Traffic was disrupted on the National Highway between Dera Murad Jamali and Jacobabad on Monday as a large number of workers and supporters of various political parties marched on the road against the Uch power plant authorities for not supplying electricity to Nasirabad division.

The protest call was given by the Mistri Union and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek and other political parties.

The protesters holding pla­cards and banners inscribed with slogans against the power plant administration marched on the highway up to seven kilometres, along with the leaders of the parties, and reached the gates of the plant, where they staged a sit-in. They chanted slogans in favour of their demands and against plant authorities and also blocked nearby link roads.

Addressing the protesters, JUP’s Balochistan president Alama Abdul Hakeem Inqe­labi, Maulana Nawab­uddin of the Sunni Tehreek, Mistri Un­­­ion president Haroon Ra­­sheed, Nasarullah Nachari, Baba Ghulam Rasool and others criticised the Uch plant authorities for not fulfilling their promise to provide electric to Nasirabad.

They said that during his visit to Dera Murad Jamali, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also assured the people that Nasirabad would soon get electricity from the Uch plant, but they had been waiting for the supply for three years.

They said the plant authorities were providing power to the main distribution system but depriving the people of Nasirabad of electricity. The prolonged loadshedding had been badly affecting people’s business, they said.

Later, Uch plant administration officer Tariq Jamali and Assistant Commissioner Waqas Roshoon, Tehsildar Zafar Ali Bangulzai and SSP Nasibullah Khosa held talks with the leasers of the protesters. After the negotiations, a committee was formed to resolve the issue.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2017