Syed Ali Shah:
QUETTA: Women from Quetta’s Hazara community staged a protest demonstration outside the regional office of the Southern Gas Company on Monday, blocking Samungli Road for more than six hours to protest unannounced and prolonged gas load-shedding amid freezing temperatures.
The protesters said gas supply had remained suspended for extended periods in their localities without prior notice, making daily life extremely difficult during the harsh winter. Holding placards and chanting slogans, they demanded immediate restoration of uninterrupted gas supply, particularly during morning and evening hours when temperatures drop sharply in the provincial capital.
The women also accused the gas utility of issuing excessively high bills to low-income households despite irregular supply. They said many families in their areas survive on daily wages and are unable to pay inflated bills, calling the practice unjust and exploitative. “There is no gas, yet we are receiving heavy bills. How are poor people supposed to pay?” one protester asked.
The demonstration caused significant traffic congestion on Samungli Road and adjoining areas, prompting authorities to hold talks with the protesters to ease the situation.
Officials of the Southern Gas Company later arrived at the protest site and held negotiations with representatives of the Hazara community. According to the protesters, the officials assured them that gas supply in their areas would be restored and maintained without interruption. They also pledged that consumer bills would be scrutinized and complaints regarding overbilling would be addressed.
Similar complaints of gas shortages and inflated bills have been reported from various parts of Quetta in recent weeks, as residents across the city struggle to cope with freezing temperatures and prolonged outages during the peak winter season.
