Bills of Rs18,000 on 5 Units and Rs150,000 on 50 Units Are an Economic Massacre of the People; Pashtunkhwa NAP’s Protest Rally in Quetta Against Sui Southern’s Looting
People of a Resource-Rich Province Are Craving Gas; Gas Missing in Sub-Zero Temperatures and Calories Reduced; Tyrannical Billing and Load-Shedding Should Be Stopped Immediately: Nasrullah Zirey
QUETTA (Daily Qudrat Quetta): Under the auspices of the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PkNAP), a grand protest rally was taken out from the party’s central secretariat in Quetta against Sui Southern Gas Company, OGRA and the Ministry of Petroleum over heavy gas bills, excess billing, undue gas load-shedding and prolonged electricity load-shedding.
The rally was led by the party’s provincial president Nasrullah Khan Zirey, provincial office secretary Nida Sangar, provincial deputy secretaries Professor Ahmed Khan Loni, Professor Asad Tareen, Obaidullah Tokhi, Hayat Khan Achakzai, Baz Pashtun, Rahmatullah Sabir, Juma Khan Zarkoon and central committee members. A large number of party workers and citizens participated in the protest demonstration.
The protest rally, passing through various highways, Manan Chowk, Kandhari Bazaar, Liaquat Bazaar, Prince Road and Masjid Road, reached Quetta Press Club, where a grand protest gathering was held. Participants of the rally raised slogans including “Reject heavy gas bills,” “End gas and electricity load-shedding,” “Long live national martyr Uthman Khan Kakar,” “Long live Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party,” “Long live Chairman Khushal Khan Kakar” and “Long live co-chairman Mukhtar Khan Yousafzai,” among other sky-piercing slogans.
The protest gathering was presided over by provincial president Nasrullah Khan Zirey. Addressing the protest gathering were provincial president Nasrullah Khan Zirey and provincial office secretary Nida Sangar, while the duties of stage secretary were performed by provincial deputy secretary Baz Pashtun. The honour of reciting the Holy Quran was earned by the party’s regional assistant secretary Maulvi Abdul Rahim.
Addressing the gathering, party leaders and other speakers strongly condemned the undue treatment meted out by Sui Southern Gas Company, OGRA and the Ministry of Petroleum to the people of Quetta and all those districts of the province where gas facility exists. They said that sending bills of more than Rs18,000 for using five units of gas and up to Rs150,000 for using fifty units of gas is sheer oppression and injustice against the people. The people are already suffering from inflation and economic difficulties; in such a situation, heavy gas bills have made their lives miserable.
The speakers said that natural gas comes from our province, but unfortunately the people here are deprived of the natural resources of their own land. During severe cold and sub-zero temperatures in Quetta, gas is a basic necessity for the people — indeed, it has become a matter of life and death for them. Low gas pressure and undue load-shedding have further increased the people’s difficulties.
They said that the sudden reduction in gas calories is also unbearable for the people. In various incidents caused by gas last year, children, the elderly and other citizens lost their lives, but despite this, the relevant institutions have failed to take serious measures for the protection of people’s lives and adequate gas supply.
They said that how regrettable a situation it is that a country which has a large army, nuclear power, modern technology and an extensive bureaucratic system cannot provide electricity, gas, employment and peace to its people. Keeping the people deprived of basic facilities and placing the burden of heavy bills on them is clear proof of the rulers’ failure and poor governance. Undue gas and electricity load-shedding, unfair billing and low pressure have severely affected people’s lives, which requires immediate remedy.
They further said that not providing the people the required facilities despite payment of gas and electricity bills is a big question mark on the performance of the relevant institutions and an open injustice to the people.
The speakers demanded that immediate notice be taken of heavy gas bills and unfair billing and it be eliminated, undue gas and electricity load-shedding be ended, gas pressure restored and calories provided according to the prescribed standard, while uninterrupted provision of basic facilities to the people be ensured.
They made clear that PkNAP will further expand this protest movement with the support and backing of its people and will continue its struggle until the achievement of the people’s basic rights.
