SWABI: The Swabi Action Committee (SAC) on Monday staged a demonstration at a busy thoroughfare here to press the authorities for ending excessive electric loadshedding, providing people power at concessional rates and eradicating drug menace from the region.

It also announced another protest across the district on Feb 8 to push for demands.

People belonging to various areas reached the Karnal Sher Khan Chowk in the district headquarters in the morning, blocking it to traffic. As a result, Swabi-Jehangira, Swabi-Topi, Swabi-Mardan and Swabi-Maneri roads remained closed.

The commuters, especially women and patients, faced severe hardships as roads remained closed till 4pm. The protesters said Tarbela Dam was situated in Swabi, but the people were subjected to excessive loadshedding. They recalled that the district administration and police officials had in December last year promised to bring their issues into the notice of the authorities concerned, but to no avail.

The protesters also blasted the lawmakers from the district for their alleged apathy towards the people’s burning issues, and threatened to besiege their residences.

“The dodging tactics adopted by the parliamentarians are no longer acceptable to us,” said Saeedullah Advocate, an SAC leader.

Masood Jabar, former provincial deputy general secretary of Qaumi Watan Party and SAC leader, told Dawn that the committee members won’t hold talks with the district administration officials this time and would continue struggle to achieve their objectives. “We will not back down from our goals at any cost,” he said.

Addressing the protesters, Salim Khan Advocate, former provincial general secretary of Awami National Party and SAC spokesperson, said that failure of the district administration and the police to honour their commitments forced the people to launch an agitation campaign.

“The officials have failed to meet the demands of SAC,” he said.

He said SAC would not relent in its struggle for people’s rights.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2025