Riots erupted in various cities of the Punjab on Monday against the unannounced and prolonged power outages; meanwhile the angry protesters set on fire many WAPDA offices and broke the windowpanes and blocked roads for traffic.
Meanwhile the PML-N announced joining protests against the load shedding and carried out first protest demonstration in Lahore lead by MNA Hamza Shahbaz, which was attended by thousands of people.
The protests were chanting slogans against the rulers and demanded immediate end to the load shedding.
The city of Gujrat is witnessing riots after frequent power failure. Three government vehicles, 12 motorcycles and the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) complex were set afire by angry protestors; meanwhile several protestors were injured in the result of the baton charge and shelling of police.
At least five people including the DSP and SHO were hurt during clashes between protestors and police in Gujranwala; meanwhile infuriated people stopped a train at railway station in protest against the load-shedding and pelted stones on the train and broke the panes of the train.
Protesters blocked the motorway at Lilla Interchange, while due to traders strike, all markets remained closed in Faisalabad. In Faisalabad, shutter down strike was observed where main markets and shops remained closed; meanwhile police have registered cases against 10,000 people for damaging the property and installations of WAPDA.
In Multan too people expressed their anger and took onto streets. In Peshawar, power is restored for one hour after five hours of load shedding. The recent electricity shortfall in Punjab have triggered province-wide protests, with vehement demonstrations and ransacking at government offices. Hundreds of agitators have been arrested.
Score of people, most of them bearing canes in hands, staged protest demonstration against prolong load-shedding in Sialkot, causing traffic jam on main roads in the wee hours of Monday.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded at Pasarwar Road, with few people able to make it to work or school.
Citizens of Qasur also took to roads at various areas to protest the power cuts. They were chanting anti-government slogans, demanding immediate restoration of power.
Several hours of load shedding is also taking place in Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and other cities of southern Punjab. Residents complain that their lives have been turned upside down due to 14-16 hours of power outages.
The situation is similar in Balochistan where several cities are without power for up to 18 hours. Over in interior Sindh residents are living without electricity for at least 10 hours.
Demonstrations were also erupted in Abbottabad and other cities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where protestors blocked Karakorum highway.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA at least 14 hours of loadshedding is taking place leading to water shortage in several areas; meanwhile citizens of Karachi also carried out protest demonstration against the unannounced load shedding of electricity.