KASUR, July 23: Hundreds of residents of Phoolnagar ransacked the Lesco office at Jamber in protest against hours long unscheduled loadshedding and overbilling here on Monday.

The charged mob later blocked Multan Road for hours, chanted slogans against the Lahore Electric Supply Company and threw traffic out of gear.

Residents of Phoolnagar and adjoining villages gathered outside the Jamber sub-divisional office in front of Motorway police office to express their concern over hours-long unscheduled outages particularly at Sehr and Iftar timings and overbilling.

The protesters said despite repeated complaints of overbilling for months, Lesco had turned a deaf ear to their gripes that forced the people to take to the streets.

After staging a demonstration in front of the Lesco office in hot and humid weather, the protesters entered the SDO office, ransacked the furniture, and set ablaze record and other valuables. Later, the protesters blocked Multan Road by parking trolleys and threw traffic out of gear.

When the local administration failed to negotiate with the protesters, passengers started chanting slogans against the highway police for its failure to restore traffic.

On an assurance by the local administration, traffic was restored after about three hours.

SIALKOT: A number of outages-stricken people armed with iron rods, hockey sticks and bricks attacked the Gepco office in Sambrial city on Monday.

They ransacked the office and also beat up some Gepco officials. Several employees managed to leave the office during the onslaught.

The rioters broke the window glasses and damaged doors, furniture, electrical appliances and office record.

They said power outages had turned unbearable and they were receiving electricity supply for about 10 to 15 minutes after every three hours in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial, Badiana, Chawinda and surrounding areas.

The respective Gepco officials told newsmen that they were estimating the loss during the mob attack.

The protesters also staged a demonstration at Sambrial Lorry Adda and blocked traffic on main Sialkot-Sambrial-Wazirabad Road for about two hours by burning tyres. They staged a sit-in on the road and chanted anti-government slogans.

The local senior police officials reached the spot and negotiated with the protesting people, assuring them to take up the power outages matter with the government in a befitting way. On the assurance, the protesters dispersed after restoring traffic.

GUJRANWALA: Loadshedding after every half an hour during night and Sehr hours enraged the people and they set 24-hour deadline for the federal water and power ministry and Pakistan Electric Power Company to do away with the excessive outages otherwise they would take to the streets besides besieging company headquarters in Islamabad.

A group of people was of the view that since President Zardari appointed Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar as water and power minister, the business community was optimistic that loadshedding would be reduced.

It was announced that loadshedding would not be conducted during Ramazan particularly at Iftar, Traveeh and Sehr timings. Since the onset of Ramazan outages duration has been increased from 8-10 hours to 16-18 hours.

As many as eight people, including two women, were hospitalised on Monday due to harsh weather and loadshedding. Meanwhile, activists of Jamaat-i-Islami and Shabab-i-Milli have warned the government to set the power supply system intact by providing furnace oil and paying outstanding dues otherwise they would besiege the Pepco headquarters in Islamabad.

VEHARI: The government has failed to honour the promise of ensuring interrupted power supply during Sehr and Iftar.

Electricity remained suspended in the Vehari district and adjoining towns exactly at Sehr and Iftar timing.

On a daily basis, 16-hour loadshedding is being carried out in urban and about 18 hours in rural areas of the district. With the advent of Ramazan, the unscheduled loadshedding had made the life a hell.

A Multan Electric Power Company official said 10-hour unscheduled and eight-hour scheduled loadshedding was being carried out.