SWABI, Dec 30: Farmers have said that the prolonged dry spell and the worsening loadshedding situation have badly affected the wheat crop in the district.

They demanded uninterrupted electricity supply to run the tube-wells to irrigate their crops, especially the wheat crop.

“Prolonged loadshedding in the winter is a great surprise for the farmers. We would continue our protest against Wapda and Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) if they failed to reduce the loadshedding hours,” said Khalid Khan, president of the Kisan Board.

Leaders of Anjuman-i-Kashthkaran said they had brought into notice of Pesco officials on a number of occasions that the growers had been facing problems in irrigating their crops due to excessive loadshedding, but to no effect.

Muhammad Qayyum of Maneri Payyan told this correspondent: “The power outage has reached such alarming proportion that it has even become difficult for the people to recharge their mobile batteries,” he said.

SHOT DEAD: A man was killed and his companion suffered injuries when unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on a car in Yar Hussain area here the other day.

Police said two friends, Khan Zeb and Wakeel Dad, were traveling in a car when two motorcyclists opened fire on them near Yar Hussain. As a result, Khan Zeb died on the spot and Wakeel suffered injuries. He was taken to nearby hospital.

Doctors at Yar Hussain basic health unit said he was out of danger. The dead and the injured belong to Shahbaz Garhi area of Mardan.

Police quoted the injured Wakeel as saying that they had no enmity with anyone and that he did not know who attacked them.

The police registered case against unidentified killers and started investigation.