Power outages, water shortage spark protests in different areas.

Byline: Imtiaz Ali

KARACHI -- People suffering from prolonged power outages in the scorching heat on Wednesday came out on main roads and highways and blocked the arteries to draw the authorities' attention to their suffering and agonies of Covid-9 patients in home isolation.

They said power supply went off up to six times during the day and the previous night with each duration lasting one or one-and-a-half hours.

The blockades of roads caused traffic jams and the authorities diverted traffic onto alternative routes, where, too, traffic moved slowly. The protests continued till night.

A traffic police official said that barring two or three protests, including the one at Gurumandir, all other protests ended in the evening.

The unannounced loadshedding triggered a water crisis, compounding problems of the citizens.

According to witnesses and officials, residents protested on the National Highway at Razzaqabad. As a result, both tracks of the highway were closed for traffic. The traffic was diverted at Port Qasim to the inner area and the traffic coming from Quaidabad towards Razzaqabad was diverted at Abdullah Cut to Shah Latif Town.

Residents held a protest against shortage of water and power at Baldia-4 on Hub River Road and Northern Bypass, which were closed to traffic. Traffic was diverted from Baldia Chowki to Labour Square.

Residents of PECHS and adjoining areas protested on Khalid bin Waleed Road; resultantly traffic was allowed to use the service road.

Citizens protested against shortage of water and power at Gurumandir near Business Recorder Road, due to which the road was closed for traffic, which was diverted from Gurumandir to Teen Hatti.

Residents of Baloch Para along...