KARAK: The residents of Gurguri on Wednesday boycotted the anti-polio campaign and also stopped movement of the vehicles of foreign oil and gas exploration company, MOL, in protest against poor road infrastructure and lack of basic facilities.

The local traders also closed down their businesses and joined the protest. The protesters said elected representatives had failed to resolve their problems over the years. They said Gurguri was contributing a lion’s share to the province’s revenue generated from oil and gas exploration, but the people were deprived of even basic amenities of life.

They complained that the oil and gas exploration companies had also taken no visible measures for development of the area, forcing people to come onto the roads time and again.

The elders said half of their lives had been consumed by organising protests for resolution of their genuine problems, but the authorities were unmoved.

The local administration officials tried to persuade them to end the protest and support the vaccination drive, but the protesters vowed to continue with the agitation till resolution of demands.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2018