CHARSADDA/SWABI: Jamaat-i-Islami workers demonstrated at the Farooq-i-Azam Chowk in Charsadda on Sunday against excessive power and gas outages in the district.

The protesters were chanting slogans against Peshawar Electric Supply Company, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines and the district administration. They announced that in case the unscheduled power and gas outages didn’t end within a week, they would stage a sit-in outside the offices of deputy commissioner, Pesco executive engineer and SNGPL for an indefinite period.

Addressing the protesters, Jamaat’s Charsadda chapter chief Shah Hussain Advocate, general secretary Fawad Ahmad, naib emir Ameer Misbahullah and others said people were suffering due to unannounced and excessive outages of electricity and gas in the severe cold weather.

They alleged that Charsadda district was deliberately being subjected to power and gas cuts, but local lawmakers were least bothered.

The Jamaat leaders said electric outages had caused water shortage, adding children went to school without breakfast due to gas outage. They said power cuts had also significantly impacted the business activities.

Meanwhile, excessive gas outages perturbed consumers in Swabi in chilly weather. They demanded that the SNGPL officials should issue a schedule so as to provide them with space to adapt to the situation.

Shaukat Ali of Maneri Payan village told Dawn: “No member of his family usually has breakfast in the morning, and children often went to school without breakfast.”

Sher Wali, another consumer, said every month they received inflated gas bills despite prolonged outages.

The SNGPL officials were repeatedly contacted to know their version on the matter, but they didn’t attend to calls on their phones. Separately, the Swabi police arrested a thief and recovered looted items from his possession.

DSP Chota Lahor tehsil Fazal Sher Khan said the accused used to loot houses and shops at night.

He said Zainul Haq, a resident of Yar Hussain, was arrested and a Kalashnikov, Rs108,500 cash, eight mobile phones, 134 SIM cards, two LED screens, women makeup boxes, eight women suits, five women purses, six packets of ghee and other valuables were recovered from him.

DSP Fazal Sher said the arrest of the other accused, Jahangir Khan, who also belongs to Yar Hussain, would be made soon. Also, a 17-year-old boy disappeared from Panjpir village, according to his brother, Mehran Khan, who filed an FIR in Swabi city police station.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2024