MANSEHRA: The Torghar police have booked the Awami National Party’s leaders and workers for holding a street protest earlier this week against the alleged embezzlement of development funds.

An FIR was registered against ANP district president Abdul Qadir Basikhel, Kunder Hassanzai tehsil chairman Mian Nazeer and 15 other office-bearers and workers at the Judbah police station under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code for the Feb18 rally.

According to police, the ANP leaders and workers violated Section 144 of the PPC, which banned the holding of rallies.

The protesters had alleged corruption in the blacktopping of the Darband-Thakot Road, which connects Torghar with the Karakoram Highway and Hazara Expressway.

ANP leader Momeen Gul Bacha condemned the FIR and said the police’s move violated their democratic right to raise voice against irregularities in development schemes.

They alleged that the deputy commissioner imposed Section 144 at the request of a local lawmaker to prevent the ANP from holding a protest.

The ANP leaders said they would continue raising their voice forthe district’s development.

Meanwhile, the police claimed to have busted a four-member gang of robbers here.

Accompanied by SHO of Saddar police station Israr Shah, deputy superintendent of police Javed Khan told reporters that the robbers took away dozens of electricity transformers in different parts of the district and Hazara division.

He said multiple cases of transformer theft left several villages and towns, including Khawari, Chitta Batta Bohraj and Potha, without electric supply.

The DSP said a special police team arrested Mohammad Siddique from Shergar in Oghi, Amir Saeed from Haripur and Muslim Mian from Kohistan, and seized the expensive stolen transformer components.

“Our team is continuing to conduct raids to arrest other gang members,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents of Oghi and its suburbs demanded an end to prolonged and unscheduled power outages in the city and surrounding areas.

Led by elder Saifur Rehman, the residents told reporters that Pesco had subjected them to prolonged outages for several weeks.

They complained they took up the issue with Pesco officials and local lawmakers, but to no avail.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2025