Activists of all component parties of MMA staged demonstrations outside scores of mosques after Juma prayers.
Legislators and other leaders of the opposition parties addressed the protesters and besides condemning the government for failing to overcome the power crisis, they also deplored the rising graph of unemployment, water shortage, lawlessness and increasing incidents of thefts and robberies in the city.
The call for the protest day was given by MMA’s central leadership and endorsed by leaders of various opposition parties at an all-parties conference held here on Thursday.
A large number of people took part in the demonstrations which were held outside the Jamia Masjid in Liaquatabad, Masjid-i-Quba in F B Area, Masjid-i-Salman Farsi in Orangi Town, New Memon Masjid at Bolton Market, Jamia Masjid Bilal in Journalists Society, Masjid-i-Noman at Lasbela Chowk, Jamia Masjid in Nazimabad, Ayaz Masjid in Defence, Jamia Masjid Baitul Mukarram in Akhtar Colony, Mubarak Masjid in Gizri, Jamia Masjid at Gole Market in Nazimabad, as well as many other mosques.
The protesters, raising slogans with banners and placards in their hands, asked the government to undo the KESC privatisation, bring an end to the unbearable load-shedding, bring down prices, ensure adequate and smooth supply of water, withdrawal of increases in petroleum prices, and rein-in killers, plunderers and hooligans to restore peace and ensure protection to the life and property of citizens.
MMA leaders, addressing different rallies, observed that people of Karachi were already suffering atrocities due to the price-hike, joblessness and lawlessness over the years, and the frequent and prolonged power failures in the extremely hot weather conditions had added to their miseries. They said that the power crisis, which had ultimately resulted in an acute water shortage, had deepened to the extent that residents of most areas of the city had taken to the streets to show their outrage over the situation.
The constant disruption in power supply over the past many weeks had rendered industries non-productive due to which industrialists had been suffering a loss running in the scores of billions of rupees. Owing to the persisting adverse situation, frustration prevailed in the business community as all its efforts to compete in the international market were meeting setback.
Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui of Jamaat-i-Islami, speaking at a rally, said that the unjustifiable load-shedding was turning this city of lights into a city of darkness and miseries. Claiming that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, being a major partner in the Sindh government, had been doing nothing to rid Karachiites of their miseries, Dr Siddiqui asked the MQM to tell them of any single step it had taken in this regard.
He observed that the power crisis had started deepening ever since the new KESC management took charge of the affairs. Keeping in view its performance so far, no one could pin any hope for an improvement in the days to come, he added.
Dr Siddiqui announced that the MMA would organise a ‘protest march’ on July 2 to force the government to pay attention to the power crisis which had devastated the life and routine of each and every citizen of Karachi.
He also castigated the city government for ruining the city by carrying out digging of all the main thoroughfares of the city and most other roads and streets in the city simultaneously, virtually paralysing the entire road communication network. He expressed the fear that the monsoon rains would cause further destruction.
Another MMA leader, Abdul Hakim Ghauri, claimed that it was the fallout of the KESC-Wapda dispute that was making Karachiites to suffer. He argued that the people of Karachi deserved to be provided with all basic amenities as they were paying for the same.
Nasrullah Shaji said water and power were basic amenities which the government had failed to provide. He said that power failures had rendered the entire system nonfunctional.
TRADERS’ WARNING: Upset over the frequent and prolonged load-shedding and power breakdowns, the city-based small traders and printers have warned the KESC that they would stop paying power bills and also take to the streets if it did not improve the situation at the earliest.
At a joint meeting, which followed a protest demonstration, leaders of the All-Pakistan Organisation of Small Traders and Cottage Industries and the Pakistan Printing Press Association maintained that the power crisis was badly affecting the business and trade activities in the city.
They claimed that traders and printers were suffering losses to the tune of millions of rupees every day. Sleepless nights and workless days had become a constant torture, they said, adding that this was result of the wrong decision of privatising the KESC.
They called for a judicial inquiry into the KESC affairs.