SWABI: The residents of Jalsai, Jalbai and other villages blocked Swabi-Jehangira road to all kinds of traffic to protest power loadshedding here on Thursday.

People from other villages also joined the protest and reached Swabi-Jahangira road. The closed the road to traffic at Tordher bus stop and chanted slogans against government and Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco). They said that supply of electricity remained suspended for 18 hours daily but they got inflated power bills.

The protesters threatened to keep the road blocked until it was notified by authorities that there would be no loadshedding in the future. They said that they were not ready to hold talks with low ranking officials.

Addressing the protesters, Dr Fazal Elahi said that patience of people exhausted owing to unannounced and illegal loadshedding. “In fact people are forced to stage protest. Such mote protests are expected as Pesco has failed to reduce duration of power outages,” he added.

Burhanullsh, the candidate of Qaumi Watan Party for PK-51, said that prolonged loadshedding paralysed routine of life. “Pesco is responsible for all this mess,” he added.

Irfan Sher, district youth president of Insaf Students Federation, said that they faced loadshedding even in the winter season. “We don’t know what will happen in the summer,” he added.

Meanwhile, three people were injured when a motorcycle hit them on Swabi-Mardan road near Gohati on Thursday. The injured were taken to Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital Shahmansoor. Two of them were identified as Mansoor Khan and Umar Khan.

PTI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders here on Thursday termed the recent increase in prices of petroleum products an election gift by the caretaker government.

They said that government increased the rate of petrol by Rs13.55 per litre and put extra burden on people, who were already hit hard by high inflation. Former MPA Rangaiz Khan and Abdul Karium, former adviser to chi.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2024