City rocked by violent protests over 'extraordinary' loadshedding.

KARACHI -- The prolonged loadshedding and frequent breakdowns amid extremely humid and hot weather conditions sparked a storm of public protests around the city as thousands of residents in many localities took to streets on Tuesday to vent their anger at K-Electric resulting in riots and clashes between protesters and police in the metropolis.

Violent protests broke out in around 18 localities of Karachi in which many people were injured and a 60-year-old woman had died amid shelling and police baton-charge.

Protesters burnt old used tyres on roads, blocked traffic and shouted slogans against what they called incompetent management of the KE that had failed to maintain power supply even in the so-called exempted areas.

People took to streets in Lines Area, Garden, Mauripur and Nishtar Road where they blocked roads and burnt tyres.

A large number of people protested against outages and water shortages in Korangi, Liaquatabad, Landhi, Gharibabad, Saddar, Lucky Star, Malir, Saudabad, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Korangi Crossing and many neighbourhoods of Scheme 33 and blocked traffic in protest.

The residents were protesting over up to 14-16 hours of power loadshedding in their respective neighbourhoods.

Angry protesters also came out on roads in PIB Colony, M T Khan Road, Power House Chowrangi and Sakhi Hassan areas.

Mauripur Road becomes flashpoint

Police fired tear-gas shells and used batons to disperse the protesting residents which aggravated the situation, especially in Lyari.

The main Mauripur Road was the flashpoint where residents blocked the road on Monday night against hours-long loadshedding, according to officials and witnesses.

During the protest, Mira Bibi Karim, 60, fell and died, Edhi Foundation spokesperson said. However, the police claimed that the woman did not die because of the baton charge or shelling.

She was initially taken to the Lyari General Hospital and later on her body was taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi to ascertain the exact cause of death.

Talks between the residents and authorities to reopen the road failed upon which the police resorted to tear-gas shelling and baton-charge to restore the traffic flow on the main artery, which connects Karachi Port Trust and the industrial area of SITE.

The protesters dispersed for a while, but again resumed the protest, said City SSP Asif Bughio. He said that electricity went out in Lyari at 4pm on Monday. After the prolonged disruption, hundreds of residents blocked the road for...