KOHAT, April 21: Protesters demanding gas supply from local oil and gas fields ended their hunger strike in Shakardarra after a provincial minister assured them that the government would address their grievances. The residents of Shakardarra where huge oil and gas reserves were discovered in 2003 and supply to Punjab started in last July set up a hunger strike camp against the delay in the supply of gas and refusal of jobs to locals by the Oil and Gas Development Corporation (OGDC).

The nazim of the Shakardarra town council had been demanding royalty of two and a half per cent for the area, in addition to a sports stadium promised both by the NWFP chief minister and the OGDC.

The area witnessed worst riots last year when protesters, including women and children, blocked the main road and attacked OGDC installations and town council offices to protest against the acute shortage of water.

Chief Minister Mohammad Akram Durrani had promised gas on a priority basis and also ordered the general manager of the OGDC to fix a quota for locals in jobs last year. But despite lapse of eight months, neither gas nor jobs have been provided to the local people.

NWFP minister for population welfare Kashif Azam visited the hunger strike camp and assured the protesters that their demands would be met.

The protesters ended their strike on the assurance.