ATTOCK, May 13: Hundreds of activist and leaders of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Attock chapters staged separate demonstrations against the lengthy hours of power outages here on Sunday.

The JI activists and leaders took out the protest rally from Fawara Chowk that reached Katchery Chowk. The participants were chanting slogans against the rulers and were also holding banners against the loadshedding, energy crises and other miseries faced by the masses.

Addressing the protesters, the JI leaders Sheikh Israr Ahmed, Mohammad Iqbal Malik and Shahab Rafique Malik cursed the government for its anti-public and cruel policies. They alleged the Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was “posing like a king” as he had taken with him over 90-people contingent on official visit to the UK at the cost of public funds.

Ironically, they further regretted, the government was complaining of severe lack of funds and resources to end the menace of loadshedding while tha poor people were committing suicides due to their financial miseries. Later on, the protestors dispersed peacefully.

Similarly, activists and leaders of the PTI took to the streets to protest loadshedding and reached the General Bus Stand Chowk on Attock-Kamra Road.

The angry protestors chanted slogans against the government and later blocked the road for traffic.

Speaking on the occasion, the PTI leaders said the federal government was victimising the people of the district as it was located in Punjab. “But the people of the district,” they warned, “will not tolerate such discriminatory treatment.”

They complained the duration of loadshedding in the district was much higher as compared to the other cities of the province.

Later, the protestors ended the rally and the road was opened for traffic.