DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The residents of Dera Ismail Khan and Tank cities have protested prolonged power outages, especially during Taraveeh, Sehr and Iftar timings.

They claimed that the Pesco was carrying out loadshedding of about 16 hours daily in urban and suburban areas of DI Khan division.

Sohail Ahmad Azmi, a leader of Markaz-i-Anjuman Tajran, said the government had announced zero loadshedding during Sehr, Iftar and Taraveeh timings, but instead duration of the outages had been extended.

He said that they had been facing prolonged outages affecting their businesses badly though recovery of electricity bills in commercial areas was 90 per cent.

Mr Azmi said a big rush of customers could be witnessed in the markets for Eid shopping. He said that presence of IDPs from South Waziristan in DI Khan had added to problems of the urban population here.

Shah Fahad Ansari, a member of Tank tehsil council, said that due to prolonged outages the people had also been facing shortage of drinking water.

He said that they had also approached the court to get rid of the power loadshedding.

In addition, people in Dera Ismail Khan and Tank city have been facing gas outages, creating problems for them to cook food at Sehr and Iftar timings.

LAID TO REST: The five police personnel, who were martyred in a terrorist attack on Kulachi police van, were laid to rest in their respective native towns with state honours after their funeral was held at the Ijaz Shaheed Police Lines here on Tuesday.

Five police personnel were martyred and four others, including DSP Fazal Subhan, injured in attack on the patrolling squad at Chowk Yadgar late on Monday night.

A contingent of Pakistan Army and police presented salute to the martyred policemen. The CTD police have registered a case against unidentified terrorists under terrorism act and other provisions.

The injured, including DSP Fazal Subhan and constables Imran, Jamshed and Yahya Bin Akbar, were taken to the DHQ hospital, Dera.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2022