2 dead as violence erupts in KESC strikes in Karachi, Pakistan

[News_Editor]

2 dead as violence erupts in KESC strikes in Karachi, Pakistan

2011-06-03 20:10:13 GMT+7 (ICT)

KARACHI, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- At least 2 people have died as violence erupted during an ongoing strike against an electric company in the southwestern region of Pakistan, local media reported Friday.

The Awami National Party (ANP) on Friday called a strike against the Karachi Electric Supply Company’s (KESC) management, in the city of Karachi, which is located in Pakistan's Sindh province, after 4,000 KESC workers were laid off, the Express Tribune reported.

After political parties announced their strike, violence erupted in different areas of Karachi, causing unrest throughout the city. During the incidents, two people were killed and four others were injured, while four vehicles were set on fire.

A group of people also began hurling stones and burning tires, disrupting traffic in the Sohrab Goth area of Karachi. Public transport and petrol pumps have joined the strikes, causing further problems for local residents.

The ANP’s Shahi Syed spoke to the press at Mardan House on Thursday, calling on KESC management to "solve the workers' issues" because the company was not facing the problems "through dialogue but is using force."

Syed also called on KESC to stop raising load-shedding, power breakdowns and unfair billing across Karachi, adding that he would have residents "stop paying their bills until these problems are solved."

KESC expressed great concern due to the higher degrees of "violent and unlawful attacks on the utility's employees and assets."

"With every passing day and lately they had been directly firing gunshots at the KESC officers and teams to injure and disable them," KESC said.

In a separate incident, two people were shot and killed in the city's Gulistan-e-Johar area and near Malir Jamia Malia College.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-03