Karachi's Power Struggle: Protests, Traffic Chaos, and Rising Costs

Residents of Karachi took to the streets to protest prolonged electricity and water outages, causing major traffic disruptions. Discussions with police led to the protesters dispersing after assurances. Meanwhile, NEPRA has raised electricity rates amidst ongoing power issues, sparking further community unrest.

In Karachi, Pakistan, frustration boiled over as residents staged a protest on Tuesday evening to highlight the dire situation of electricity and water shortages, Yahoo reported. This protest significantly disrupted traffic, notably affecting the Lyari Expressway, as demonstrators blocked a major road creating severe congestion.

Protesters expressed anger over daily power cuts exceeding 12 hours, with unscheduled blackouts becoming an exacerbating routine. They charged that these power outages have also severely compromised the water supply in the region. Despite lodging numerous complaints with the Water Corporation, they claimed little to no action had been taken to rectify the issue, demanding immediate cessation of power cuts.

The protest saw spirited participation until discussions with police resulted in an agreement for a peaceful dispersal after receiving governmental assurances. The road was cleared, with traffic police swiftly working to restore normalcy. This action mirrored earlier protests on Jahangir Road, which similarly called for an end to ongoing shortages.

In a related development, the Battagram Trade Union declared a complete shutter-down strike starting Tuesday. As part of wider discontent with continuous power outages, they vowed to withhold electricity bill payments until regular power supply resumes. Additionally, NEPRA announced an electricity rate hike of Rs0.40 per unit for Karachi, effective January 2025, which has further inflamed public dissatisfaction.

At a press conference, Karachi's Mayor Murtaza Wahab revealed that Rs228 million had been collected by KMC in municipal utility charges through K-Electric in a month, aiming for a Rs3 billion annual target to fund city development projects and municipal employee dues. Wahab stressed the need for accountability among critics of the tax collection method, a discussion that continues to unfold.

(With inputs from agencies.)