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Residents of Punjab Colony staged a major protest on Saturday morning, blocking both tracks of the main road leading towards Defence Mor over severe power and water shortages, according to a report by Geo News. The blockade caused massive traffic disruption, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for over four hours, with congestion spilling over to nearby areas like Boat Basin.
The protest erupted after K-Electric disconnected the power supply to a residential building housing 80 flats around 11 a.m. on Friday, following a crackdown on illegal connections in the nearby PNT Colony. Geo News reported that while a dispute occurred between K-Electric staff and residents in PNT Colony, the affected residents of Punjab Colony insist they were not involved in the altercation but were punished nonetheless by having their electricity cut off. The incident highlights the gross inefficiency and negligence of Pakistan's sole power distributor, K-Electric, which has repeatedly failed to provide reliable electricity to Karachi's citizens, especially in areas with a majority Punjabi population. Despite paying their bills, residents face arbitrary disconnections, deepening the already dire living conditions in the city. This latest event reflects a broader pattern of mismanagement and disregard for basic utilities, exacerbating the frustrations of Karachi's residents. The protest forced traffic police to divert light vehicles through the Gizri underpass and reroute traffic from Korangi towards Khayaban-e-Jami, but the chaos persisted for hours. After five hours of disruption, the protesters ended their demonstration only after authorities assured restoration of power, Geo News confirmed. The Punjab Colony incident is yet another example of how Karachi's infrastructure is being deliberately neglected, disproportionately affecting the city's hardworking Punjabi community. The authorities' failure to maintain consistent power and water supplies is symptomatic of Pakistan's ongoing governance crisis, as highlighted in the Geo News report. With such negligence continuing unchecked, Karachi residents remain trapped in a cycle of deprivation, protest, and empty promises by officials and utility companies alike, according to Geo News. (ANI)
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