Karachi Residents Protest Against Power and Water Shortages
On Tuesday evening, people in Karachi, Pakistan, took to the streets to protest against ongoing electricity and water shortages. The protest led to a major traffic jam, especially on the Lyari Expressway, as demonstrators blocked a key road. They were upset about daily power cuts lasting over 12 hours and the impact on water supply. Despite complaints to the Water Corporation, no action was taken. After talks with police, protesters dispersed peacefully, and traffic resumed.
Earlier, a similar protest on Jahangir Road caused traffic disruptions. Police were present to manage the situation. In Battagram, the Trade Union announced a strike and sit-in against power outages, refusing to pay electricity bills until normal service resumed.
Meanwhile, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) increased electricity rates for Karachi by Rs0.40 per unit for August 2024, affecting bills in January 2025. K-Electric had earlier requested a reduction in rates due to fuel cost adjustments.
Mayor Murtaza Wahab reported that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) collected Rs228 million in municipal utility charges through K-Electric bills in one month. The goal is to raise Rs3 billion annually for city development and employee dues. Wahab promised transparency by making financial details available online.
Doubts Revealed
Karachi -: Karachi is a large city in Pakistan, which is a country next to India. It’s like how Mumbai is a big city in India.
Protest -: A protest is when people gather together to show they are unhappy about something and want it to change. It’s like when students ask for a holiday by not attending school.
Power cuts -: Power cuts are when the electricity goes off for some time. It’s like when the lights and fans stop working at home because there is no electricity.
Unscheduled outages -: Unscheduled outages are when the electricity goes off without any prior notice. It’s like a surprise power cut that you didn’t know was going to happen.
Battagram -: Battagram is a place in Pakistan, similar to how we have different cities and towns in India.
Trade union -: A trade union is a group of workers who come together to protect their rights and interests. It’s like a club for workers to make sure they are treated fairly.
NEPRA -: NEPRA stands for National Electric Power Regulatory Authority. It’s a group in Pakistan that decides rules about electricity, like how much it should cost.
Mayor Murtaza Wahab -: Murtaza Wahab is the mayor of Karachi, which means he is like the head of the city government, similar to how we have mayors in Indian cities.
Municipal tax -: Municipal tax is money that people pay to the city government for services like water, roads, and garbage collection. It’s like paying for things that help keep the city clean and running smoothly.
K-Electric -: K-Electric is the company that provides electricity to Karachi, similar to how we have companies like Tata Power or BSES in India that supply electricity to our homes.