Ibrar Ahmed :
QUETTA: Hazara women and children blocked the main Western Bypass area of the city in protest against the scarcity of water on Monday. Hazara women and children criticized the Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) for its failure to provide drinking water to the Hazara town area.
“We want clean drinking water”, Faiza Batool, one of the protesters demanded. She said despite repeated appeals to the WASA and the provincial government, the residents of the Hazara town were still deprived of drinking water.
Long queues were witnessed on both sides of the Western Bypass after the blockade by the protesters. People suffered difficulties in reaching their destinations due to the closure of the road.
“Enough is enough, government should provide water to us”, Muhammad Hussain Hazara, another protester lamented. He stated that the area residents were forced to pay heavy payments to the thanker mafias because of the non-availability of the water.
The protesters were also chanting full-throated slogans against the provincial government and WASA authorities because of the scarcity of water. They were also carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against WASA and the Balochistan government.
The district Quetta administration and concerned police officials met with protesters and assured a solution to their problem. Subsequently, the protesters reopened the road and ended their protest. They peacefully dispersed after recording their protest.
