LANDI KOTAL, March 24: Residents of Loe Shalman in Khyber Agency have complained of prolonged load-shedding in their area for more than three months. Inam Gul, a resident of Ghundakhel locality, complained that people in his area were being subjected to load-shedding up to 16 hours a day which has greatly effected their daily life.

He told Dawn by phone that apart from load-shedding Wapda authorities were also keeping the electricity voltage very low which had damaged a number of their electric appliances.

Also effected by unannounced load-shedding are areas of Yousufkhel, Narai and Arbabkhel. Bashir, a resident of Yousufkhel, told Dawn that they had lodged a number of complaints with Wapda authorities about the load-shedding and low voltage, but all their complaints had so far fallen on deaf ears.

Zaheerullah, a cricket fan, lamented that the area youth, were deprived of watching interesting cricket matches being played between arch rivals India and Pakistan.

Electricity to Loe Shalman, some 25 kilometres north of Landi Kotal with more than 30000 population, is provided power from 32 kv grid station at Landi Kotal. Residents of the area have urged Wapda officials to announce a timetable for power management instead of subjecting them to unannounced load shedding.