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Power riots break out in Karachi

* Fast food franchises and bank branches attacked

By Fareed Farooqui

KARACHI: Vicious rioting broke out Wednesday evening in several parts of Karachi and continued into the night in protest against long spells of power outages. Bank branches and fast food franchise outlets bore the brunt of the public’s anger and Shahra-e-Faisal’s traffic also suffered.

Residents of the affected areas came out on to the streets and burnt tires and other materials. In some areas, the protesters broke traffic lights and damaged fast food restaurants by pelting them with stones. The police resorted to shelling and aerial firing to disperse the crowds.

The KESC operations director, Adnan Bashir, claimed that DHA staff had damaged the Main Korangi Cable while digging near the Defence police station, due to which power supply was cut off to Akhter Colony, Manzoor Colony, Kashmir Colony and other areas. Bashir said that the KESC staff was working to repair the damage and the electricity would be restored within eight to ten hours.

In Liaquatabad, the electricity was cut off since the afternoon, due to which, after sunset, residents came out on to the Shahrah-e-Pakistan and blocked the road. The riots spread from Teen Hatti to Dakkhana Chowk, from Dakkhana Chowk to Sindhi Hotel and from Ghareebabad to Liaquatabad no. 4, due to which these routes were blocked.

Riots also took place in various areas of Lyari Town including Aath Chowk and Shah Baig Lane. Protesters besieged a KESC complaint centre near Aath Chowk, and tried to set it on fire, but the police reached there on time.

The enraged residents of Qayoomabad and Mehmoodabad came out on to Main Korangi Road and blocked the road by burning tires and pelting stones. The protesters also broke down traffic lights at the Qayoomabad Chowrangi, pelted stones at the shops on the road and tried to set some shops on fire. The police reached the spot and resorted to aerial firing to save the shops from being burnt.

Near Aisha Bawany School on Shahrah-e-Faisal, the protesters blocked the road and pelted banks and shops with stones, but the police was able to take control of the situation within an hour and a half.

Traffic flows were suspended for several hours due to riots on Main Korangi Road and Shahrahe-e-Faisal, and was restored late at night. Protesters also rioted in the SITE area, Metroville, Shershah Chowrangi, Gulbahar, Patel Para, Lasbella Chowk, and Old Golimar.

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