SWABI/KOHAT: Protest demonstrations were held on Thursday in Kalu Khan and Yar Hussain areas of Swabi where people blocked roads to record their protest against prolonged and unscheduled loadshedding by the Peshawar Electric Supply Company.

The people of Kalu Khan marched to Swabi-Mardan road and blocked it to traffic for over five hours, causing great difficulties for commuters.

The protest was led by Said Ali Shah of PML-N and local government representatives.

The protesters demanded proper schedule for loadshedding, stoppage to outages during Sher and Iftar and resolution of low voltage problem.

Meeting of elders held in Kohat to review the situation

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shah said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had failed to keep its promises and people had been forced to launch protest demonstrations and block roads. Other local leaders said that they would not open the road until a solid action was promised to address their electricity problem.

However, they dispersed peacefully when their leaders were assured by Pesco officials that there would be no unscheduled loadshedding in their area.

A similar protest was also staged in Yar Hussain when people blocked Chota Lahor road to traffic. Local government representatives led the protesters who continued the road blockade for over an hour at Yar Hussain bazaar.

They said that a few days ago, it was promised by the leaders of political parties that the low voltage problem had been resolved. Another pledge was that there would be no unscheduled outages, but people continued to face suspension of power for long hours.

Later, they dispersed when they were assured by local officials that there would no unscheduled loadshedding in the area.

In Kohat, a jirga was held under the auspices of Kohat Bar Association (KBA) which condemned the unscheduled loadshedding and asked the chairman of board of governors of Peshawar Electric Supply Company to take notice of it.

The jirga was held at the KBA conference room with JUI-F leader Gohar Saifullah Khan as chief guest. It criticised the MPAs and MNA who did not come to the jirga and decided to invite them again with an advice that they should take interest in solution of the problems being faced by the people regarding power loadshedding and unavailability of gas in large parts of the district.

KBA president Javed Panji advocate, former district president of PTI Hamayun Chacha, Local QWP president Mehmoodul Islam and others said that Pesco was not resolving people’s complaints despite repeated protests.

Mr Saifullah said that the Pesco BoD chairman Malik Asad had remained district nazim of Kohat, but despite knowing the miseries of the local people he was doing nothing to end unscheduled loadshedding of 18 to 20 hours in rural and 12 hours in urban areas. Javed Panji vowed that every effort would be made to rid the people of Kohat of loadshedding.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2016