LANDI KOTAL, Dec 30: Tribesmen blocked the Peshawar-Torkham highway for five hours on Thursday to protest against load shedding in Landi Kotal.

Afridi tribesmen brandishing arms staged a sit-in on the main road at Ali Masjid early in the morning, obstructing traffic on the highway for nearly five hours.

A large number of vehicles were seen lined up on both sides of the road. The protesters burnt tyres and fired in the air when the Khasadar tried to lift the blockade. A boy received burn injuries when he was struck by a burning tyre on the road.

The tribesmen said that two weeks ago officials of Wapda and local administration had assured them that the timing for load shedding would be regularized. Instead, they complained, Wapda resorted to load shedding for 48 hours at a stretch in some localities.

They accused Wapda linesmen of accepting bribes from influential people for ensuring uninterrupted supply. The protesters lifted the blockade after an assurance from the elders and officials of the political administration that they would take up the matter with Wapda officials.