SWABI: The Swabi Action Committee (SAC) members announced here the other day that power consumers of entire district would not pay their electricity bills till implementation of the written agreement to reduce power outages and provide electricity at concessional rates to local people due to their contribution to the construction of Tarbela Dam.

The agreement was concluded in May during the SAC sit-in inside Pesco building in the district headquarters.

The protesters had gathered at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk in the district headquarters, chanting slogans against government and Pesco for increasing power outage to 18 hours per day, making people’s lives miserable in the prevailing harsh summer.

The district police had closed the Swabi-Topi Road with barbed wire to stop protesters from crossing Iqthidar Chowk but the protesters removed the barbed wire and continued march towards Swabi deputy commissioner’s office.

However, the protesters were stopped from marching beyond the office of the assistant commissioner, where they staged a sit-in. Their leaders addressed the participants, reiterating their demands and criticising the district administration.

Later, SAC members and leaders of various political parties held talks with district administration officials at the district administration mosque.

Following the meeting, the two sides reached a consensus, which was conveyed to the protesters.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, SAC spokesperson and former Awami National Party provincial general secretary Salim Khan advocate said the committee had unanimously decided not to hold further negotiations with the district administration, accusing it of violating the previously signed agreement and commitments made in the presence of religious elders.

“How can we negotiate with officials who failed to honour their promises and did not implement the agreement?” he asked.

He said the committee had also unanimously decided to launch a district-wide campaign urging electricity consumers not to pay their monthly bills until their demands were accepted.

He urged residents not to allow Pesco staff or police to remove electricity meters or service wires, insisting that consumers had paid for the installations. “The meters and service wires belong to the consumers,” he said.

SAC member and former Qaumi Watan Party provincial deputy general secretary Masood Jabar warned that if the authorities failed to meet the committee’s demands, protesters

would block the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway and march towards Tarbela Dam, saying local people had made immense sacrifices for the construction of the project.

The protest also brought traffic on the Swabi-Topi Road to a standstill for more than three hours, leaving long queues of vehicles stranded and forcing commuters to wait until the road was reopened.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2026