Pakistani cities witness protest over hike in power bills
Islamabad: Different Pakistani cities recently witnessed protests over a hike in electricity bills which is creating trouble for consumers.
Hundreds of citizens staged protest demonstrations on Ferozepur Road, blocked the main city artery for all kinds of traffic, and caused traffic jams for hours, reports The Express Tribune.
They were holding placards and banners on which slogans were inscribed against the power utility company and the government.
They also shouted slogans against the Lahore Electricity Supply Company (LESCO) and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif-led government for multiplying electricity tariffs and slapping over a dozen taxes on electricity consumers.
The demonstrators burned down their electricity bills and demanded the government to direct the power utility company to immediately waive the fuel price adjustment from the current month’s bills and give refunds to consumers who have already deposited their electricity bills with fuel price adjustment.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, an electricity consumer from Chungi Amar Sidhu, Muhammad Ali, highlighted that the LESCO has sent him an electricity bill of Rs 21,000 while his monthly salary is Rs 25,000.
“The bill has over Rs11,000 fuel price adjustment and taxes. Either I can pay this bill or do grocery and meet other monthly expenditures,” he added.
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