SWABI/GHALANAI, May 10: Loadshedding protesters on Thursday turned violent and damaged signboards and windowpanes of vehicles on Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway and Swabi-Jahangira Road.

In the morning, a few youngsters converged on Kunda Mor and set old tyres on fire to block Swabi-Jahangira Road against excessive power cuts.

Later, people from surrounding areas, especially youngsters, showed up in large numbers and began smashing signboards and windowpanes of private and public transport vehicles shouting slogans against the government, the Peshawar Electric Supply Company and local politicians.

Complaining of 22-hour suspension of electric supply in a day and saying excessive loadshedding has made life miserable for them, they began marching towards Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway. Once they were on the motorway, they began destroying signboards and other structures with the help of bricks and iron rods.

Policemen were present there but they didn’t proceed against violent protesters.

Some police officers approached protesters for talks but they said they would speak Pesco officials only.

Later, district coordination officer Mohammad Shah, district police officer Abdul Rashid and Pesco executive engineer of Swabi-2 Hamid Khan showed up and held talks with protesters, who demanded immediate transfer of SDO of Zaida subdivision Ihsanul Haq, announcement of loadshedding schedule, and end to overbilling by Pesco.

The DCO promised early action on the demands prompting protesters to disperse peacefully.

The DCO later told Dawn that he had written to the relevant officer concerned to issue a letter for the said SDO’s immediate transfer. He also said he would ensure by all means that inflated bills are not issued to power consumers in future.

In Ghalanai, people on Thursday demonstrated against the over 20 hours loadshedding a day on Main Mandi Bazaar and blocked the main Peshawar-Bajaur Road.

Shouting slogans against the government and Tesco, they said loadshedding had led to water shortage and thus, forcing them into buying water from private tankers on payment.

Addressing protesters, Mohmand Welfare Organisation (MWO) president Mir Afzal Mohmand, Jamaat-i-Islami, Mohmand Agency, chief Mohammad Saeed Khan and others criticised Tesco for unscheduled loadshedding for long hours. They said if smooth supply of electricity wasn’t restored until Monday, then locals would storm the Ghalanai grid station.

The speakers accused the Wapda RCC of Shahi Bagh, Peshawar, of intentionally stopping electric supply to Mohmand Agency. They also complained of overcharging by firewood and gas cylinder dealers in the name of excessive loadshedding.

They urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to step in and ensure early end to people’s misery.