On Thursday, the residents of Quetta’s Nawan Kalli, Hanna Orak, Nohisar, and other adjacent areas blocked the airport road in protest against continued gas shortage and load shedding in the capital city.
The protesters chanted full-throated slogans against the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) for its failure to provide a gas supply in freezing cold weather. Hundreds of protesters staged a sit-in at the main airport road to vent their anger against the SSGC and the Balochistan government.
People faced difficulties as a result of the blockade of the road and they used alternative routes to reach their destinations. Especially, women, children, and aged people remained the worst sufferers of the blockade of the road.Long queues of vehicles were also witnessed because of the blockade of the road linking Quetta with other parts of Balochistan.
Later the SSGC officials reached the spot and held successful negotiations with the protesters. Subsequently, the protesters reopened the road for traffic. They however threatened to resume their protest if the company and government failed to make sure provision of uninterrupted gas supply to the capital city.
As the winter sets in, Quetta and most of Balochistan have been facing low and no gas supply. This has further compounded the problems of the masses in this cold dry weather.