PESHAWAR, Aug 27: Protests were held in different parts of the province on Wednesday against frequent and prolonged power outages.
In Peshawar, residents took out processions and blocked different roads for traffic.
Angry protesters came out on the GT Road from different localities and blocked it for over three hours near Hashtnagri and the Haji Camp on Tuesday night. They burned old tyres on the road to disrupt traffic.
The stick-wielding protesters marched on the road, pelting stones and chanting slogans against the Peshawar Electric Supply Company and the provincial government for their failure to end loadshedding.
The people of Hazarkhwani also blocked the Ring Road to protest against what they said over 14 hours of daily loadshedding in the area. They said power outages had made life miserable for the people in the hot season.
The protesters said the prolonged loadshedding had created many problems, including shortage of drinking water, for local people. They said people were spending sleepless nights in the hot season due to the power outages.
CHARSADDA: Traders and shopkeepers organised a demonstration to protest against unscheduled and prolonged loadshedding and blocked the main road for hours on Wednesday.
They said they would set up a hunger strike camp and would block the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway if Pesco failed to stop loadshedding in two days.
The protesters, who were also joined by workers of different political parties, marched on roads chanting anti-government slogans.
Pesco officials held talks with elders of the area in the wake of growing protests against loadshedding.
The talks held in the office of the tehsil nazim ended without result, as Pesco officials told the meeting that it was beyond their powers to halt loadshedding.
NOWSHERA: Angry protesters took out a procession to protest against loadshedding here on Wednesday.
The protesters blocked the GT Road in Jehangira and criticised the government for prolonged power disconnections.
In Rashakai, protesters blocked the Mardan-Nowshera road and chanted slogans against Pesco for resorting to “ruthless” loadshedding in the area.
MARDAN: People took out a procession to protest against hours long loadshedding and low voltage in the Hosai Garyala village and attacked the grid station, ransacking the furniture.
The area has been facing 14-hour power outage on daily basis and low voltage has also created problems for local people.
The people of Husai Garyala took to the streets and held a protest demonstration.
The protesters carrying clubs attacked the grid station and ransacked the furniture, stationary, glasses, windows and other items.
SWABI: The business community of the district has held the Peshawar Electric Supply Company responsible for heavy losses suffered by traders, saying that without uninterrupted supply of electricity they are unable to attract customers.
Leaders of traders’ unions, at a protest demonstration against unannounced loadshedding and over billing held here on a call of the Swabi Shopkeepers’ Association, said they had suffered heavy losses this year.
Members of traders’ unions from Chota Lahor and Topi tehsils also joined the demonstration to express solidarity with the protesters. Leaders of different political parties, including the PML-N, Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf and the Swabi Qaumi Mahaz and representatives of different welfare bodies, also joined the protest.
The protesters marched through various roads chanting slogans against Pesco and the government and blocked the Swabi-Jehangira road in front of the Pesco office.
Swabi Shopkeepers’ Association president Mohammad Ali said power outages were inflicting them heavy losses.
Later, the protesters dispersed peacefully after they were assured by executive engineers of Pesco that one hour loadshedding would be observed after each three hours.