October 14, 2008	Tuesday	Shawwal 14, 1429

PESHAWAR, Oct 13: The residents of different areas in NWFP on Monday staged protest demonstrations against the prolonged power suspension and condemned the government for its failure to ensure smooth power supply to their localities.

People’s Students Federation (Shepao) on Monday staged a protest demonstration outside Peshawar Press Club against the unannounced loadshedding in parts of Peshawar. The protesting students chanted slogans against the scarcity of wheat flour and re-introduction of the militia uniform in the government schools in the province.

They were holding banners and placards inscribed with demands for solution to power and flour crisis. The students said that loadshedding had made their lives miserable as they could not continue their preparations for examinations and were facing serious problems.

About the uniform, they said the former Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government had introduced coloured uniform in schools and now Awami National Party-led government again decided to re-introduce the old militia uniform in schools.

Majority of the students, they said, belonged to poor families and could not afford to purchase pairs of clothes again and again. They asked the government to withdraw its decision.

Meanwhile, traders and residents of various localities of Gulbahar and Yakatut also staged protest demonstrations against the hours-long unscheduled loadshedding. They threatened to block the main grand trunk road if the loadshedding was not ended.

The protesters said they were facing at least 8 to 12 hours loadshedding daily which had also caused acute water shortage in the city.

They complained that Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) officials were always avoiding attending phones of the consumers to tell the actual cause of prolonged power suspension.

CHARSADDA: The dwellers of Unarzai and Tarangzai blocked the main road for over five hours on Monday morning to protest the unscheduled loadshedding, wheat flour crisis and unbridled surge in prices of essentials.

The enraged protestors burnt tyers on the main road to block it for all kinds of vehicular traffic for five hours.

Hundreds of the servicemen, students and teachers could not reach their destinations and returned home after several hours road blockade.

The business community in Charsadda also blocked roads in protest against the hours-long power outages, demanding early end to the practice. They warned of dire consequences in case the loadshedding was not ended.

The protestors set 72 hours deadline for the district administration before dispersing peacefully, adding they would stage a sit-in for indefinite period on the roads if their demands were not met.

Addressing the protestors Khurshed Umerzai, Surtaj Akber, Asgher Ali Shah, Maulana Jamial Ahmed, Tariq, Ibrar, Bahardar Sher, Saleem and others came hard on the ANP-led provincial government for the prevailing crises. They said after getting votes and coming into power ANP had ignored the poor people.