KOHAT/GHALANAI: Pesco consumers in Old Jarma and Sorgul areas staged a protest demonstration in front of the Urban-II office on Tuesday and also tried to manhandle the staff at the SDO office over suspension of electricity for last three days.

The protesters were led by former nazims Abdur Razzaq, Gulzar Khan, former tehsil councillor Zameer Khan and Abdul Qudoos.

The people tried to enter the office with the intention of damaging it but were stopped by the elders.

They chanted slogans against the Pesco and demanded immediate resumption of power supply to the areas.

They said the power suspension had caused acute water shortage.

They said Pesco was punishing the whole area for a few power thieves and should take action against them only.

SDO Mohammad Tariq held negotiations with the protesters and promised to resolve the matter, after which they dispersed.

Meanwhile, tribesmen in Mohmand tribal district continued their protest demonstrations against prolonged power outages on the third consecutive day on Tuesday.

They blocked Mohmand-Bajaur Expressway as a protest at the Mian Mandi Bazaar and Yousafkhel area of Haleemzai tehsil of the district for an hour and burnt tyres on the road.

The protesters chanted slogans against Wapda and said that the area was without electricity for the last one week due to which the residents had been facing numerous problems.

Speaking on the occasion, the local traders and tribesmen said that unscheduled and prolonged power outages had multiplied problems for them in the winter season. They said that they had also been facing shortage of drinking water because of the outages.

They also demanded transfer of the grid station in-charge from Ghalanai. They claimed that some of the people had got double power connections which should be disconnected.

The protesters warned the Wapda officials to end the unscheduled loadshedding otherwise they would start protest demonstrations in the entire district.

They said that due to prolonged power cuts the children and elderly were falling ill amid chilly weather.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2020