KARAK: Thousands of residents of Shnwa Guddikhel took to streets and blocked Indus Highway for several hours here on Sunday to protest closure of Guddikhel power feeder.

They threatened to take arms if the government failed to restore power supply to the area. Led by former MNA Maulana Shah Abdul Aziz, the protesters marched from Seerak Banda to Hamidan Chowk where they blocked Indus Highway to traffic.

The traffic remained suspended for several hours and long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the highway, causing hardships to passengers. The protesters chanted slogans against Minister of State for Power Abid Sher Ali and federal government for closing the feeder.

Addressing the protesters, Shah Abdul Aziz and other speakers said that on the directives of federal state minister, Pesco closed down Shwna Guddikhel feeder that caused acute shortage of drinking water in the area.

They alleged that Pesco failed to devise a mechanism for payment of arrears by the consumers. They said that people were ready to pay the bills but they didn’t know how to pay the same.

The speakers said that the people took to streets owing to miseries being faced by them. They said that people would be forced to launch an armed protest if government failed to restore power supply to the area.

Later, Assistant Commissioner Ifran Wazir and DSP Gul Jamal Marwat negotiated with the elders of the protesters and assured them they would talk to the Pesco officials to resolve the issue.

ANNIVERSARY: Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) held a meeting here on Sunday to mark the fourth death anniversary of its leader Mohammad Khan Khattak.

Addressing on the occasion, PkMAP district general secretary Rafi Khattak and others paid rich tributes to Mohammad Khan, who killed in Karachi four years ago.

They criticised Mutahidda Qaumi Movement and held it responsible for worsening law and order situation in Karachi. They said that Pakhtuns should be united in a single province from Chitral to Bolan. They should be given control over their resources, they added.

The speakers said that Pashto should be declared an official language of the province and it should be made medium of instructions in educational institutions. They said that the demand of a separate Hazara province was unjustified and it was a conspiracy against Pakhtuns.

The speakers said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was rejected by the people of other three provinces and only Pakhtuns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa voted it but it was harming Pakhtuns.

They alleged that the elected representatives of the district were involved in corruption.