The power consumers continued to protest across the country against the exorbitant bills while trade bodies observed shutter-down strikes on Monday.

Business activities were at a standstill after markets in Hyderabad were closed as the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry called for a shutdown strike in the city against the inflated bills.

The legal fraternity also recorded its protest in different cities as lawyers went on a strike in all bars of the Sahiwal Division. Lawyers in Arifwala city of Punjab, Palandri district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir also went on a strike.

Earlier, protesters in AJK announced that they would start the ‘Metre Utaro’ campaign on September 6.

Read: LESCO officials throw power bills in front of citizens’ houses in Punjab’s Pattoki

On Sunday, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar said that the government would not take hasty steps that could lead to more problems, thereby ruling out immediate relief. He in an emergency meeting ordered that free electricity should no longer be supplied to any government employees.

The district bar association in Khanewal city of Punjab protested against the hiked electricity bills.

The citizens came out in hundreds against the inflated bills demanding that the government take measures to provide relief to the common people.

Traders and civil society blocked Shahrah-e-Resham at Fawara Chowk, Mansehra. They refused to pay bills.

In Karachi, residents of Timber Market and surrounding areas blocked the road after the electricity supply to the areas was suspended for five days.

Protests continued in Rawalpindi against the hiked power bills, while enraged citizens cordoned off the Water and Power Development Authority office in Tariqabad city of Punjab.

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They refused to pay bills unless the government slashes multiple taxes it imposed on the bills.

Traders in Pakpattan city of Punjab came out on the streets against the exorbitant taxes. They called for the rejection of the inflated bills.

Bahawalnagar and Minchinabad in Punjab also witnessed a series of protests in which people from rural areas also participated.

They burned the copies of the bill while demanding a just distribution of the electricity and putting an end to hours of load shedding.

Citizens in Nowshera, Swabi and Malakand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also protested against the overbilling.