Officials say hundreds of protesters angered by power outages have blocked a key road in northern Pakistan. The blockade is disrupting bilateral trade with neighboring China and forcing tourists to take longer routes to visit the region. The protest initially began with a rally over the weekend and expanded the following day when demonstrators in the city of Aliabad blocked the Karakoram highway, government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said on Tuesday. People in energy-starved Pakistan often face hourslong power cuts, especially during the summer, but residents in Aliabad say they have been experiencing up to 20-hour power outages in the midst of a harsh winter.
