Prolonged outages spark violent protest in Lahore

LAHORE: Residents of Chohang took the streets, blocked Multan Road and pelted the police with stones to launch their strong protest against the prolonged electricity loadshedding here on Sunday, Geo News reported.

The police resorted to baton charge, fired tear gas shells and shots in the air to disperse the protesters who decided to bear no more the hardship caused by relentless and prolonged power outages.

The protesters burned bone fires on GT Road and chanted anti-administration slogans.

They pelted police with stones when the latter reached the scene to control the situation, injuring a sub inspector. Two police vehicles and several private cars of the citizens were also damaged during the protest.

Police baton charged the protesters, used tear gas and aerial fire to bring the situation under control. As a result, some protesters also received minor injuries.

The commuters trapped in traffic jams due to the protest had to suffer from suffocation due to the tear gas that filled the air in the surrounding area.