LAHORE (HRNW) Traders announced on Thursday joining the protests against inflated electricity bills, which have been continuing across the country for the last six days as the caretaker government excused itself on the grounds that the IMF conditions don’t allow any relief.
People in Azad Kashmir’s capital Muzaffarabad observed a wheel-jam strike, while traders in Peshawar pulled shutters of their shops down and tailors in Bagh came out on the streets carrying their sewing machines.
Business centres, petrol pumps and private educational institutions remained closed in Muzaffarabad due to the strike.
The angry citizens, already reeling under high inflation, set electricity bills on fire while demanding the government to withdraw extra taxes added to the bills.
Traders’ bodies in Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Bhawalpur, Quetta, Vehari and other places also observed shutter-down strike.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar had assured the masses that the government would explore options to provide relief but so far the authorities have failed to come up with an immediate remedy.
A day ago, caretaker Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar apprised senators of financial constraints due to mismanagement of the previous government that she was unable to give subsidy.
In her maiden appearance in the upper house of parliament, she presented a very bleak economic and financial outlook while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Finance.
However, parliamentarians vehemently criticised the economic policies by narrating miseries of the power consumers in the wake of highly inflated bills.
Meanwhile, traders in Karachi protested against the electricity bills today while the Lahore traders have announced a strike on Sept 2.
The protesters said high electricity bills and inflation had become unbearable and demanded that the government should immediately end free electricity for elites.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council also joined protest on Thursday and lawyers boycotted court proceedings.
The protesting lawyers rejected the increase in petroleum products, electricity and gas bills, saying that people were being deprived of their fundamental constitutional rights.
In Malakand district, business centres remained closed in Khela, Dargai, Sakhakot and Tota Khan on the call of the Mutahidda Trade Union.