RAWALPINDI: On Wednesday, residents of Rawalpindi protested in the streets against the unexpected gas load-shedding that had impacted a number of densely populated neighborhoods.
The protestors, who included both residential and business customers, chanted anti-government and Sui Southern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) slogans to express their annoyance. Among them were female demonstrators from private homes who vowed to siege the SNGPL headquarters until gas service was restored as soon as possible.
This protest’s effects extended beyond the event itself because it seriously hampered travel to and from Islamabad. Traffic police had to establish detours to alleviate the congestion on Murree Road as a result of the sit-in in order to control the situation. Many people turned out for the demonstration, including women and kids, holding signs criticizing sitting and the way the government is addressing the gas supply problem.
Protesters emphasized that gas shortages had been occurring for the previous two months in a number of places, including Bhabhra Bazaar, Bani, Waris Khan, Saidpuri Gate, Chah Sultan, and Kartarpur. Along with causing problems for consumers, this shortage presented difficulties for industries that depended on gas. Protesters escalated their demands by threatening to encircle the regional Sui Northern Gas office if their problems were not swiftly addressed, as no corrective action had been conducted despite multiple complaints filed with the gas department.
During her protest, a mother bemoaned the challenges she faced in providing daily meals for her children in the absence of gas, which was made worse by high gas expenses that put a burden on the family’s finances. Workers like Umair Khan, who works at a tandoor in Bhabra Bazaar, were also moved by the demonstration. He was afraid that prolonged gas shortages might force his firm to close, which would mean several breadwinners would lose their jobs.
The protest’s effects extended beyond the nearby area, resulting in lengthy car lines on Committee Chowk to Islamabad’s Murree Road. In order to lessen the congestion brought on by the demonstration, traffic wardens had to divert cars. SNGPL officials, on the other hand, blamed the gas shutdowns on continuing maintenance and road construction operations, citing safety risks from gas leaks found during excavation work. They guaranteed customers that after maintenance and repair work was finished, gas services will be fully restored.
The demonstrators chose to end their sit-in when the administration promised that gas services would be restored in two days, which resulted in the return of regular traffic on Murree Road.
