Hub:On Friday, near Bab-e-Balochistan Hotel, a protest erupted blocking the Quetta-Karachi highway due to prolonged and unscheduled load shedding by KElectric, affecting residents including those in Hub city and surroundings. The blockade resulted in long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road, leaving stranded passengers in buses.
The demonstrators expressed frustration over what they described as the rising incidence of unjustified power cuts and alleged mismanagement by KElectric officials and staff. They accused KElectric of exacerbating citizens’ woes with self-imposed load shedding during periods of extreme heat, alternating between load shedding notices and hidden faults in cables, or maintenance issues at substations. Meanwhile, approved areas continue to face ongoing power outages.
Residents insisted that conducting load shedding in areas where KElectric has recovered 100% of the billing is unacceptable. They demanded immediate cessation of self-imposed load shedding in Hub, including all unauthorized load management in Hub city and other affected areas to provide relief to citizens. They warned of intensified protests if the situation does not improve, holding KElectric officials and staff accountable for any ensuing consequences.
During the protest, Hub Deputy Commissioner successfully engaged with demonstrators, assuring them of KElectric’s commitment to ensuring uninterrupted power supply, including in Alahabad Town and other regions. This assurance helped pacify the demonstrators, who dispersed peacefully after the guarantee of power supply was publicly acknowledged.
