SWABI: The local residents on Sunday complained about frequent power outages, causing them problems in the sizzling weather.

Talking to reporters here, they said they had quarantined themselves in homes to avoid getting infected with coronavirus, but Pesco apathy had compounded their misery.

“The power supply is suspended several times during the night in our area, forcing people, especially elderly and children, to pass sleepless nights in the hot and humid weather,’’ Ahmad Ali of Topi city complained.

The consumers demanded of Pesco to stop unscheduled outages, or they would stage protests and block roads.

Meanwhile, a damaged electricity pylon at the edge of a road in Marghuz, the native village of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar, is posing threats to the lives of local people.

The area people said the pole was hit by a tractor-trolley a few days ago, and they had immediately informed the Pesco officials, but to no avail.

“We don’t know why the Pesco staff has so far failed to visit the area to replace the damaged pole, which poses serious threat to lives of people,” said a local.

When contacted, a Pesco official said the field staff would visit the area to ascertain the estimated cost of replacing the pylon.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2020