Hattian Bala (The Azadi Times) – The residents of Lamnian, a significant locality in the district Jhelum Valley, have once again taken to the streets in protest against the ongoing unannounced and harsh power outages. The locals have warned of shutting down electricity transmission from the Sharrian and Neeli Powerhouses on December 24 if the unjust load-shedding continues, citing their growing frustration over prolonged power cuts.
The protest, which was organized by the community members, saw fierce slogans and speeches targeting the Department of Electricity and the Power Development Organization (PDO). Leaders including Sajid Abbasi, former district council candidate Sajjad Akash Abbasi, Chaudhry Ameer Hussain, Fazail Maqsood Awan, Qazi Nazaqat, Manzoor Awan, Chaudhry Shaukat, Iftikhar Chak, and Gulraiz Abbasi voiced their anger at the power crisis.
The protestors highlighted a particularly distressing incident in which the entire 50,000-strong population of Lamnian was left in darkness, while a single household hosting a wedding event was provided uninterrupted electricity. The demonstrators condemned this stark inequality, calling it a grave injustice.
The speakers demanded urgent intervention from the Minister for School Education, Dewan Ali Khan Chughtai, Deputy Commissioner, and the XEN of the Electricity Department for Jhelum Valley. They emphasized that the people of Lamnian would not tolerate the ongoing power cuts any longer.
“If these unjust power outages are not immediately stopped, we will take matters into our own hands. On December 24, we will cut off power transmission from Sharrian and Neeli Powerhouses. We will not let anyone trample on our rights,” said the protest leaders.
Despite several complaints and repeated appeals to the Jhelum Valley administration, no significant action has been taken to address the issue. The residents are now determined to escalate their protests until their demands are met. “We will not remain silent. We will fight for our rights,” they declared.
The situation in Lamnian highlights the growing resentment among local communities in the region, underscoring the urgent need for a resolution to the ongoing power crisis that is impacting thousands of families. If the authorities fail to act promptly, the situation may escalate further.