KARAK: Stick-wielding women in Takht-i-Nusrati tehsil here blocked the Amberi Kala-Daratang road, protesting against the gas and power loadshedding.
They chanted slogans against the elected representatives from Karak district for their utter failure in the provision of basic amenities to the people over the last two years.
The women protesters, led by a former lady councillor Nawab Jana, said that there was no gas in the district and they were forced to use firewood. They regretted that the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) had promised the people of the district the provision of legal gas connections but the pledge was not honoured. The women claimed that on one side, there was no gas for domestic purposes, but on the other side the power supply remained suspended for hours in the district. The protesters regretted that the people had to brace more than 18 hours of loadshedding on a daily basis. The people particularly the women and children faced immense problems as they remained indoors in the scorching heat. “There is no electricity. We have to fetch water from faraway places for domestic use,” a protester said. The women protesters also complained that no water supply scheme was executed in the area in last two years. They also came down hard on the elected representatives for failing to help resolve the issues being faced by the local people. Later, the deputy superintendent of police and the station house officer of Takht-i-Nusrati reached the spot to negotiate with the women to open the road, but they refused to talk, demanding the resolution of their problems. However, the women reopened road after being assured that the issues would be resolved.