KARACHI: Pakistani shopkeepers shuttered their businesses in multiple cities on Saturday in response to calls from trader associations and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) religious party to protest exorbitant hikes in electricity and petroleum prices, which have fueled inflation in the South Asian country.
Shops and markets remained closed in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and other cities amid mounting protests that began following a hike in petroleum prices in Karachi on August 17, but spread nationwide due to an increase in power tariff. On Friday, Pakistan once again hiked petrol and diesel prices, breaching the Rs300 mark for the first time in its history and leading to widespread anger among the masses.
The developments come months after Islamabad signed a badly-needed $3 billion deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to avert a default due to decades of mismanagement and instability. However, the global lender demanded that popular subsidies cushioning living costs be slashed and imposition of Rs50 petroleum levy on every liter.
Other conditions included generating additional revenues, raising energy prices and adopting a market-based currency exchange rate, all of which have fueled inflation in the South Asian country that persisted at 27.4 percent in August. It peaked to an all-time high of 38 percent in May.
But Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar chose to dismiss the public concerns in a meeting with journalists on Friday, saying the matter of energy price hikes was being used by political parties for electioneering. His statement, widely reported by the local media, met with strong criticism from the masses.
“The entire country is closed on our call, sending a strong message to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, who called inflated electricity bills a non-issue,” Kashif Chaudhry, president of a central body representing traders, told Arab News over the phone from Islamabad.
“All big and small cities have overwhelmingly endorsed our demand to reject the electricity hike,” he said, urging the government to eliminate 13 different taxes on electricity bills.
Chaudhry denied the allegation that trader associations and political activists had forced shopkeepers in Karachi and Peshawar to close their businesses, noting that businesses remained suspended in Islamabad, and Punjab and Balochistan provinces as well.
“Attempting to force over 10 million shops to close is simply unfeasible,” he added.
In Peshawar, people carrying JI party flags were observed encouraging traders to close shops, but the party maintained that shopkeepers had voluntarily shut their businesses to protest the government’s policies.
“Shops are closed in every small and large city in the province,” Abdul Wasey, the JI provincial general secretary, told Arab News. “You don’t need to push the oppressed masses to protest. This is the most significant and successful strike because people have no choice but to protest the price hike, which has compelled them to struggle to afford a two-time meal.”
Pakistan’s commercial hub of Karachi witnessed market closures for the second consecutive day on Saturday, while clashes erupted between people protesting prices hikes and the police as the latter attempted to clear the national highway in the Quaidabad area.
Zahid Askari, a JI spokesperson, maintained the protesters remained peaceful and did not engage in any violence. “This is the most peaceful protest,” Askari told Arab News.
Atiq Mir, president of the Karachi Traders Alliance, said markets in the city largely remained closed, adding the “exorbitant electricity bills have made today’s strike a success.”
In a statement, Justice (retired) Maqbool Baqar, caretaker chief minister of Sindh province which Karachi is the provincial capital of, said the interim government was aware of the challenges faced by the public. He, however, emphasized that protests should not cause inconvenience to others.
“We acknowledge that people are distressed by the rising prices, a sentiment we feel. Both the federal and provincial governments are actively working together to implement measures that will alleviate the burden on the public,” he said.
“While we respect the right to protest, we urge everyone to ensure that their demonstrations remain peaceful.”
Baqar directed authorities to take all necessary actions to keep the protests peaceful.
Pakistani traders shutter businesses in protest over energy price hikes
https://arab.news/4ep2b
Pakistani traders shutter businesses in protest over energy price hikes
- Shops, markets remained closed in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and other cities amid mounting protests that began on Aug 17
- Trader representatives criticize Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar for calling inflated electricity bills a ‘non-issue’
World Bank approves $400 million to expand water, sanitation services in Pakistan’s Punjab
- Project aims to improve access for 4.5 million people and curb waterborne diseases
- Program to prioritize women’s participation and climate-resilient urban infrastructure
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank this week approved $400 million for a new project to expand access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services for around 4.5 million people in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, aiming to curb waterborne diseases and reduce long-term public health costs.
The project, known as the Punjab Inclusive Cities Program (PICP), is the second phase of the World Bank-supported Pakistan Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services Multiphase Programmatic Approach. It will focus on rehabilitating water supply networks, sewerage systems and wastewater treatment plants, while expanding stormwater drainage infrastructure across 16 secondary cities in Punjab.
Punjab faces persistent challenges in providing safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, with many urban households relying on contaminated sources. Weak infrastructure and limited hygiene services contribute to high rates of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid and hepatitis, which disproportionately affect children and low-income communities.
“Reducing child stunting is essential for Pakistan’s future. Through the Punjab Inclusive Cities Program, we are investing in safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services to break the cycle of malnutrition and disease that holds back so many children from reaching their full potential,” the World Bank quoted its Country Director for Pakistan, Bolormaa Amgaabazar, as saying in a statement.
“In collaboration with the Punjab Government, the program represents a significant step forward in improving urban infrastructure and strengthening local institutions, thereby laying the foundation for healthier communities and a more prosperous Pakistan.”
Child stunting, a form of chronic malnutrition that leaves children too short for their age, is often linked to repeated infections, poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water, and remains a major public health concern in Pakistan.
Beyond water and sanitation, the project will also support solid waste management systems to improve sanitary waste disposal, extending services to an additional two million people in Punjab’s urban areas. The program will strengthen the capacity of local governments, including efforts to improve revenue generation and long-term service sustainability.
“The program complements infrastructure investments with capacity building and revenue generation, helping to ensure that service delivery is well sustained,” the statement quoted Amena Raja, Senior Urban Specialist at the World Bank, as saying.
“It will also help Punjab’s cities better withstand floods and droughts, ensuring urban development is both environmentally responsible and resilient to climate change.”
The program includes a gender-focused component, prioritizing the hiring of women in decision-making roles, establishing gender-compliant service desks and supporting skills development. It also aims to mobilize private capital to support water and sanitation services in Punjab’s secondary cities.
Pakistan has been a member of the World Bank since 1950 and has received more than $48 billion in assistance since. The Bank’s current portfolio in the country comprises 54 projects with total commitments of $15.7 billion, while its private-sector arm, the International Finance Corporation, has invested about $13 billion since 1956.
Earlier this year, Pakistan and the World Bank signed a first-of-its-kind agreement for a plan to focus $20 billion in lending to the cash-strapped nation over the coming decade on development issues like the impact of climate change as well as boosting private-sector growth.
