RAWALPINDI, Dec 31: Gas loadshedding in the city ignited violence on Wednesday when protesters blocked the Airport Road for over six hours and clashed with police sent to remove them.

Two policemen and several protesters were injured in the clashes which ended with four policemen being suspended and the police registering a case against Shahid Yaqoob, nazim of Union

Council 78, and 12 other citizens for lawlessness.

Hundreds of men and women residing in the airport area began the protest at the traffic signal near the Flying Club around 8am by waving placards and raising slogans against the government.

Soon the more frustrated among them started throwing stones at passing cars and burning tyres. That disrupted, and finally halted, traffic on the vital road.

Police arrived at the scene and tried to push the protesters back. According to some witnesses they did so rather rigorously as a foreign delegation was to pass through the point. Normal traffic and the VIP convoy had to be diverted to other routes.

Witnesses said a scuffle broke out when the protesting women pulled out the badges of some policemen who retaliated with their batons, pouring oil on the protesters’ rage.

“We have had no gas in Dhoke Hafiz and its surrounding area for the last four days. We have been eating half-cooked food and had no warm water to take bath due to gas shortage,” said a woman protester.

One of the placards held by the protesters said: “Have shame; restore gas and electricity supplies”.

Potohar Town Nazim Raja Hamid Nawaz appeared on the scene in the afternoon to try to defuse the tension. But the protesting women turned down his request to call off the protest.

Among them was Ms Rasheed who poured out the frustrations of housewives to Dawn.

“In summer we were denied electricity. Now in winter we are being denied gas. Garbage collected from the city is thrown here in our locality. Where have gone the promises made by members of parliament at the time of election that they will provide basic facilities to the masses?”

On the contrary life has become more difficult and financial situation of the people worsened, she said.

Eventually, the protesters dispersed around 3pm after receiving assurances that gas supply would be restored.

Passengers going to the airport were worst affected by the protest. Many were seen rushing to the airport on foot carrying their baggage.

Regional Police Officer Nasir Khan Durrani said that shortly after the protest started he had contacted concerned authorities to redress the public problem. He said police had to use sticks to disperse the protesters because they were throwing stones at police which injured two officers.

Some protesting women said they were beaten and slapped by policemen but police denied that.