SWABI, Jan 3: Three main political parties — the People’s Party, Awami National Party and Pakistan Muslim League-N — have demanded through a resolution that the Rs150 million provided by the National Rural Support Programme to the district government for construction of street pavements should not be utilised by the nazim.

The resolution was adopted when workers of the three parties were addressed by their leaders at the Kernel Sher Khan Chowk while protesting against continued loadshedding here on Thursday.

The demonstration against loadshedding turned into an anti-district government rally when the leaders of the political parties said elections should be free and fair. They said the district government had every right to carry out development projects but all such activities could be undertaken after the elections.

Mohammad Rashid, the district information secretary of the ANP, said: “The development projects should be stopped till after the election because such activities were used to ‘hijack voters’. We have already informed the government and once again appeal to the officials concerned.”

The leaders of the three parties said continued meddling of the district government in the electoral process had already been brought to the notice of the officials concerned but they were yet to take action against the activities of District Nazim Shahram Khan Tarakai.

Two uncles of the nazim — Usman Khan Tarakai and Javed Iqbal Tarakai — will be contesting the Feb 18 election. The former is opposing ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan for NA-12 (Swabi-1) and the latter is opposing ANP’s Amir Rehman for PF-32 (Swabi-11).

An SJI candidate, Dr Mohammad Salim, is contesting the elections for PF-31 (Swabi-1) while another candidate Awal Sher Khan is contesting for PF-33 (Swabi-11).

The leaders of all the three parties criticised the Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (Pesco) for prolonged loadshedding and demanded of the Pesco officials to resolve their problems as soon as possible.

They said that electricity was being produced “under their nose” at the Tarbela Power Station and they should not face indefinite loadshedding.

They marched from the Kernel Sher Khan Chowk to the general bus stand while chanting slogans against Pesco officials and the government.

The protesters were addressed by district president of ANP Rehmanullah, Dildar Khan, and PML-N contesting candidate from PF-31 (Swabi-1) and Javed Inqilabi, tehsil president of the PPP.