PESHAWAR/CHARSADDA: People in Peshawar and Charsadda on Monday staged protests and blocked roads against prolonged power cuts, to the inconvenience of motorists and commuters.

In Peshawar, residents of Tehkal, Hassan Garhi, Arabab Landi, Charkhakhel and Amin Colony took to the streets against the Peshawar Electric Supply Company over their “failure to ensure smooth power supply” to their areas.

The main University Road was blocked for around three hours.

“The road remained blocked from 9pm till midnight on Sunday,” an official of the Town police station said.

The police temporarily detained some protesters, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz activist Haider Bacha. However, they were freed at the intervention of MPA Sobia Shahid. No case was registered against them, according to the official.

Participants block roads, shout slogans against govt, Pesco

The protesters said they were subjected to power outages for at least 18 hours daily.

They complained about frequent low voltage, which, they said, caused water shortage in the entire Tehkal region, which includes Palosai area.

The residents said that they were experiencing prolonged, unscheduled loadshedding, with authorities not bothered about their misery.

“The residents are frustrated, feeling like they’re living in the Stone Age due to a lack of basic facilities, especially electricity and natural gas. They regularly pay hefty bills but get prolonged power cuts and humiliation in return,” a protester said.

The other demonstrators complained about power suspension for 15-18 hours daily, saying the duration even went up to 20 hours .

Power supply to tubewells also remained suspended for long hours, causing water shortage. The residents said they were left with no option but to step out to block roads against excessive and unscheduled loadshedding.

The Pesco attributed power cuts to high line losses but said power supply to some areas was affected due to “maintenance work.”

Meanwhile, power protesters in Hassan Garhi criticised the local MNAs and MPAs over indifference to their basic issues.

They said that provincial minister Qasim Ali Shah, who represented their constituency in the assembly, didn’t bother to take notice of prolonged power cuts.

The residents also complained that the power transformer in the area had long been out of order, while power outages had also caused water shortage.

”The transformer has been malfunctioning daily since the first day of last, paralysing our lives. The unannounced loadshedding during intense heat has exacerbated our sufferings,” he said.

The protesters also complained about the frequent power tripping and said they had to raise funds for transformer repairs.

They said their repeated requests to local lawmakers for intervention fell on deaf ears.

The protesters demanded the installation of new transformers and strict action against officials responsible for unscheduled loadshedding.

In Charsadda, scores of people took to the streets against prolonged power outages, low voltage and repeated power tripping in the Utmanzai area.

Holding placards and banners and shouting slogans against the government and Pesco, the protesters blocked the main Charsadda-Peshawar Highway and Motorway, suspending traffic to the inconvenience of travellers, especially patients, women and children.

Members of political parties, businessmen, youth and other residents participated in the protest.

Addressing protesters, political leaders Fawad Ahmad, Ebad Abdullah, Israr Bacha, Tariq Bacha and Waqar Khusro said power supply to their areas remained suspended for 16-18 hours daily, devastating residents amid the heat wave.

They also complained about water shortages due to the power crisis.

The speakers said Pesco’s Xen repeatedly held talks with them but failed to keep his promises on power supply.

They demanded immediate reduction in loadshedding hours, an end to frequent power tripping and low voltage and warned if the demands weren’t met, they would go to any extent to claim their right to smooth power supply.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2025