Protests against inflated power bills are continuing in major cities across Pakistan. The protests erupted after consumers received their electricity bills for the month of July. The bills showed significant increases, in some cases doubling or even tripling the previous month’s amount.
On Friday, the country experienced widespread strikes and shutdowns in major cities as a protest against the increasing inflation and high electricity bills. In Karachi, traders closed wholesale and large markets in protest of inflated power bills and rising inflation, with a warning of more strikes and protests if the bills aren’t reduced. In Lahore, traders announced a complete shutdown strike against record-high inflation, inflated power bills, and continuous fuel price hikes. The Jamaat-e-Islami also declared a nationwide shutdown strike.
Traders’ leaders stated that successive governments had left them with no choice but to show their collective power through this strike. They emphasized that this strike was non-political and offered to hand over their businesses to the government to run according to its policies. They refused to accept unjustified taxes and higher petroleum and electricity prices. Demanding the suspension of free power supply to influential individuals.
In Peshawar, JI provincial general secretary Abdul Wasi labeled the caretaker Prime Minister’s statement about the public’s concerns over electricity bills as shameful. Moreover, he highlighted that trader organizations across the province supported the JI’s strike call. Asserting the people’s constitutional right to protest and strike.
Political Rift and Government’s Action
JI Amir Sirajul Haq, speaking at a JI Youth Wing convention in Rawalpindi, accused the caretaker government of implementing the IMF agenda and vowed to continue nationwide protests against inflated electricity bills and rising fuel prices. He criticized the previous PML-N and PPP-led coalition for agreeing to the IMF deal. He also accused the current caretaker government of following through on its agenda.
Siraj also criticized the ambitions of Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari, and Fazlur Rehman for promoting their children in politics. Moreover, he called upon the people to hold these families accountable in the upcoming general elections.
Until now, the government hasn’t succeeded in calming the increasing frustration of the public regarding the rapidly rising electricity bills. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has instructed the relevant authorities to come up with specific actions to ease the burden on the people.