SWABI: People belonging to Ismalia union council and its suburbs blocked Swabi-Mardan Road in protest against excessive electricity loadshedding here on Tuesday.

Announcements were made on the loudspeakers, urging people to reach Attam police post, where they erected a blockade.

Commuters suffered due to the closure of the road in hot and humid weather.

The protesters vowed to keep the blocked till the power cuts were done away with. They shouted slogans against the provincial government, Peshawar Electric

Supply Company and local elected representatives. They asked the lawmakers to come out of their air-conditioned rooms and stand with their voters in times of trouble.

The protesters said that electric supply remained suspended for hours in the extreme heat, causing them immense misery.

The power consumers said that it was responsibility of the elected members to ensure that their electorates had uninterrupted power supply.

Leaders of various political parties also addressed the protesters, vowing that they would continue joint struggle till the duration of power cuts was curtailed.

Later, the local police and Pesco officials held talks with leaders of the protesting people, assuring them that their complaint would be reported to the high-ranking officials. After the assurance the protesters ended the road blockade.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2025