OUR STAFF REPORTER MULTAN The citizens finally burst out against inflated billing and unscheduled loadshedding by Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) as dozens of enraged protesters encircled Mepco office and pelted stones on the building. The entire area presented the view of a battlefield as bricks and stones were seen flying in the air and lying on the road. A furious mob suddenly emerged from Bismillah Colong and adjoining areas and besieged the Mepco office while shouting slogans against SDO Hassan Abad. The building was partially damaged because of stone-pelting but no life loss was reported. The protesters also burnt tyres and placed them on Khanewal Road, causing severe traffic jam. It may not be out of place to mention here that the billing and meter reading staff have been doing excessive billing for the last several months and the consumers are forced to pay the bill instead of making correction. A citizen, who came to get his bill corrected, suffered heart attack in Mepco Gulgasht sub division office when the officials refused to address his complaint a few days back. Meanwhile, heavy police contingents led by DSP New Multan reached the spot and controlled the situation. The DSP held talks with the protesters and asked them to end their protest peacefully. The protesters said that despite hours long power outage daily, they had received heavy bills. They demanded immediate removal of SDO Hassanabad and strict action against billing and line staff. They warned that they would again encircle Mepco office if their demands were not accepted. JI PROTESTS: MultanThe activists of Jamat-e-Islami Multan staged a string of protest demonstrations against price hike, unemployment and lawlessness here in different areas of Multan after Juma prayer on Friday. A large number of JI workers and common citizens gathered in Pak Gate, New Multan and Gulgasht areas and staged the demonstrations. Holding placards and banners inscribed with their demands, the protesters shouted slogans against government. Addressing the protesters, the JI leaders said that the government had completely failed on all fronts. They said that price hike, poverty, unemployment and lawlessness made the lives of masses highly miserable. They said that the target killers in Karachi were given free hand as a result of which dozens of innocent citizens lost their lives in few days. They demanded of the government to adopt immediate measures to control price hike and unemployment as well as to stop target killing in Karachi. They demanded strict action against killers.