MARDAN, Aug 18 Despite assurance by the government not to carry out loadshedding during Sehr and Iftar times, long hours of power outages coupled with low voltage persist in many cities and towns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sparking strong protests by the people.

In Mardan, police resorted to baton charge residents of Sheikh Maltoon Town on Wednesday who had blocked the G.T. Road to protest unscheduled and prolonged loadshedding during Sehr and Iftar times. At least 20 protesters were arrested and lodged into the police lock-up.

The enraged protesters, most of them youngsters, blocked G.T. Road near the main gate of Sheikh Maltoon town, chanting slogans against the government and Wapda officials.

The protesters lamented the government had no concern for the miseries of general public.

The protesters vowed not to end blockade of the road until they were assured by the authorities not to observe outages during Sehr and Iftar.

However, a large number of police personnel who were present on the occasion beaten them up with batons when the protesters ignored the repeated calls of police to lift blockade of the road.

BANNU The Eski tribesmen ransacked the Pesco offices, burnt official record and blocked the main Dera-Bannu road in protest against prolonged loadshedding and low voltage.

The tribal people belonging to Shahbaz Azmatkhel held protest demonstration in front of Pesco offices.

The enraged protesters also pelted stones on Pesco offices, damaged official vehicles and smashed windowpanes.

The baton-bearing protesters warned of taking siege of Bannu grid station if the authorities did not halt harsh and unjustified loadshedding during Ramazan. They said the low voltage had destroyed their costly appliances.

Later, SE Wapda held negotiation with the elders and convinced them to end their protest. The protestors later dispersed.

LANDI KOTAL Frustrated tribal women blocked the Peshawar-Torkham road on Wednesday to protest the prolonged loadshedding and shortage of water in Landi Kotal.

Women taking to roads is a rare sight as it is considered a taboo according to tribal customs and tradition. But unscheduled long hours of power outage compelled Nekikhel women to break their traditional shackles and register their anger against the excesses of the Wapda authorities.

Protesting women chanted slogans against the Wapda and local political administration officials and pelted some vehicles with stones.

Traffic on the main road remained suspended for almost four hours. Shakir Afridi, a resident of Nekikhel alleged that Land Kotal grid officials were involved in corruption and ensuring power supply to only those who paid them hefty amounts. He demanded of the Wapda authorities to transfer these officials.

Women ended their protest only when local elders gave them an assurance that their grievances would be discussed with concerned authorities.

In Bara, the Shalobar elders accused local Wapda officials of unlawfully selling electricity to steel units in the area thus subjecting local residents to long hours of loadshedding.

MANSEHRA Hundreds of people on Wednesday took to the streets and blocked road against the prolonged and unscheduled power outage.

“Despite the government claims the prolonged loadshedding, especially during Iftar and Sehr timings continues. If current spate of power outage is not halted, we would be left with no option but to block Karakorum Highway for indefinite period,” threatened one of the protesters.The protesters who gathered at Hamshirian chowk blocked Mansehra-Oghi road for over an hour.

The road was opened and protesters dispersed peacefully after SDO Pesco in presence of heavy contingent of police assured them that within next two days prolonged power outage would be ended.

SWABI Excessive loadshedding continued to haunt the people with Pesco utterly failing to reduce duration even in Ramazan.

Members of Maini region jirga said earlier a peaceful protest was subjected by the police to brutal force killing few people. They added if the prolong loadshedding was not ended such protests could not be ruled out in coming days.

KARAK An eighteen hour long power outage was observed by the Pesco on Wednesday which paralysed normal life and created acute shortage of drinking water.

While talking to media persons former district naib nazim advocate Jan Alam, Khattak Ittehad general secretary Gul Sahib Khan and others strongly condemned the prolonged and unscheduled loadshedding and low voltage in the district. They said in Ramazan people needed relief but the Pesco and unbearably hot weather had made the lives of the people miserable.

They said they had time and again raised the issue of loadshedding and low voltage with the district administration and the deputy manager operation of Pesco Karak but no positive steps had been taken.

Meanwhile, dozens of telephone lines in Easak Chountra, Dawarkhel, Sangini and Dabb are out of order for over a month and the SDO Karak is reluctant to repair the lines.