Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ISLAMABAD1585
2008-04-16 17:17:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
RIOTS OVER POWER BLACKOUTS TURN VIOLENT IN MULTAN
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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001585
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ENGY ECON PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: RIOTS OVER POWER BLACKOUTS TURN VIOLENT IN MULTAN
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001585
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ENGY ECON PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: RIOTS OVER POWER BLACKOUTS TURN VIOLENT IN MULTAN
1. (U) SUMMARY: In the Punjab provincial city of Multan, protests
organized by local textile mill owners to object to rolling
blackouts which have forced factories to remain closed, turned
violent on April 14. The Power Loom Association in Multan organized
a rally of textile workers and day laborers to march to the local
offices of Pakistan's power distribution agency. The protest was
later joined by residents as it made its way through the city. At
least 58 people were injured when security officers at the power
company opened fire on the riotous crowd. Several offices and
vehicles were burned and protests continued for a second day on
April 15. END SUMMARY.
2. (U) Offices of the Multan Electric Supply Corporation (MESC),a
division of Pakistan's Water and Power Distribution Authority
(WAPDA),were burned on April 15 when angry unemployed textile
workers protested worsening power outages and blackouts. Local
media report that protestors carried banners pleading for relief
from the daily 18 hour blackouts. Protesting the lengthy power
outages which have forced their factories to close, the All Pakistan
Power Loom Association organized the march. Multan has more than
6,000 power loom units and about 500,000 people depend on these
mills for their livelihood.
3. (U) Over 2000 strong, the protestors marched to the MESC
headquarters and set fire to the building, using office furniture
and records to ignite the blaze. When the protestors tried to enter
the residential area of the power utility's headquarters, security
guards opened fire, injuring at least 58 protestors according to
local media reports. Protesters and police clashed for over four
hours until the police dispersed the crowd with tear gas. MESC
sustained a reported Rs 7.5 million (USD 121,000) in property losses
and 28 staffers were injured. Protests continued for a second day
on April 15 but remained peaceful.
4. (U) MESC is not a power generating company but is allocated a
base amount of power from the national distribution company WAPDA.
The southern Punjab region is currently being allocated 11,095
megawatts (MW) of electricity and MESC faces daily shortfalls of 634
MW.
MESC's electricity allocation is distributed as 46 percent for
domestic use, six percent for commercial use, 18 percent for
industrial units, 17 percent for agriculture and 13 percent for
street lights.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: This is the first "power riot" which has broken
out thus far in 2008 due to Pakistan's current energy crisis. While
we have seen protests over the blackouts in Karachi during the
summer of 2007, such actions are more rare in Multan and other areas
but illustrate that no region is being spared from the current power
outages. While the hot weather has remained at bay thus far, Post
expects increased protests and violence as the power crisis
continues to impede economic growth and takes its toll on the
millions of average day laborers who face unemployment as factories
are forced to close down. END COMMENT.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ENGY ECON PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: RIOTS OVER POWER BLACKOUTS TURN VIOLENT IN MULTAN
1. (U) SUMMARY: In the Punjab provincial city of Multan, protests
organized by local textile mill owners to object to rolling
blackouts which have forced factories to remain closed, turned
violent on April 14. The Power Loom Association in Multan organized
a rally of textile workers and day laborers to march to the local
offices of Pakistan's power distribution agency. The protest was
later joined by residents as it made its way through the city. At
least 58 people were injured when security officers at the power
company opened fire on the riotous crowd. Several offices and
vehicles were burned and protests continued for a second day on
April 15. END SUMMARY.
2. (U) Offices of the Multan Electric Supply Corporation (MESC),a
division of Pakistan's Water and Power Distribution Authority
(WAPDA),were burned on April 15 when angry unemployed textile
workers protested worsening power outages and blackouts. Local
media report that protestors carried banners pleading for relief
from the daily 18 hour blackouts. Protesting the lengthy power
outages which have forced their factories to close, the All Pakistan
Power Loom Association organized the march. Multan has more than
6,000 power loom units and about 500,000 people depend on these
mills for their livelihood.
3. (U) Over 2000 strong, the protestors marched to the MESC
headquarters and set fire to the building, using office furniture
and records to ignite the blaze. When the protestors tried to enter
the residential area of the power utility's headquarters, security
guards opened fire, injuring at least 58 protestors according to
local media reports. Protesters and police clashed for over four
hours until the police dispersed the crowd with tear gas. MESC
sustained a reported Rs 7.5 million (USD 121,000) in property losses
and 28 staffers were injured. Protests continued for a second day
on April 15 but remained peaceful.
4. (U) MESC is not a power generating company but is allocated a
base amount of power from the national distribution company WAPDA.
The southern Punjab region is currently being allocated 11,095
megawatts (MW) of electricity and MESC faces daily shortfalls of 634
MW.
MESC's electricity allocation is distributed as 46 percent for
domestic use, six percent for commercial use, 18 percent for
industrial units, 17 percent for agriculture and 13 percent for
street lights.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: This is the first "power riot" which has broken
out thus far in 2008 due to Pakistan's current energy crisis. While
we have seen protests over the blackouts in Karachi during the
summer of 2007, such actions are more rare in Multan and other areas
but illustrate that no region is being spared from the current power
outages. While the hot weather has remained at bay thus far, Post
expects increased protests and violence as the power crisis
continues to impede economic growth and takes its toll on the
millions of average day laborers who face unemployment as factories
are forced to close down. END COMMENT.
PATTERSON