DADU, Jan 25: A large number of hotel owners, small traders and residents of Khairpur Nathan Shah held a protest demonstration outside the press club here on Sunday against local Hesco staff.

They were led by Hotel Owners Association leader Mohammad Nawaz Chandio and small traders leader Mohammad Wasim Mirani. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Chandio said Hesco officials were forcing hotel owners, shopkeepers, traders and residents to pay Rs5,000 per connection every month as a bribe. He said on their refusal to pay the bribe, the officials issued detection and inflated bills to them.

He said he had complained in writing to the executive engineer of Hesco, Dadu, against the staff but to no avail. Mr Mirani said over 500 poultry farms, tube-wells, factories and influential persons had illegal connections but the Hesco officials were not taking any action against them.

LOADSHEDDING: Residents of the Dadu town held a protest demonstration outside the press club here on Sunday against unscheduled loadshedding.