MANSEHRA, July 2: About 20 shops were gutted after a fire broke out due to short circuit in a market in Balakot on Monday morning, police said. Local traders and shopkeepers observed a strike against the “government apathy” and the attitude of the Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (Pesco) and demanded compensation.

“We took loans to re-establish our quake-hit businesses but this time they were destroyed by the criminal negligence of the government and Pesco.”

The fire erupted early in the morning when some loose electric wires came in contact with each other, sparking a short circuit. The resulting fire, left 20 newly constructed shops gutted and goods worth millions of rupees burnt.

The affected shopkeepers called the fire brigade in Mansehra but to no avail.

The Traders Association Balakot then gave a call for strike. All the business centres and shops remained closed.

Angry shopkeepers then took out a procession and blocked the main Kaghan road for over four hours.

Speaking to the protesters the president of the association, Mohammad Asif, and others said that despite repeated complaints about the outdated electricity system, Pesco officials did not bother to repair the wires.

They said that until now no compensation had been paid to the business community of Balakot for the damages they had to endure in the October 2005 earthquake.