MANSEHRA, May 9: People on Wednesday protested prolonged loadshedding in different parts of the province, including Mansehra, Charsadda and Swabi.

In Mansehra, protesters marched through the streets and blocked Karakoram Highway holding banners and placards and shouting slogans against the government over power crisis.

They threatened to commit suicide en masse in case excessive power outages continued.

President of local traders association Baba Mohammad Rafiq, who was also part of the protest, said the 18 hours loadshedding had ruined business activity in the district and therefore, the government should immediately take corrective steps.

He also complained that people received inflated power bills despite excessive loadshedding.

In Charsadda, traders demonstrated against excessive loadshedding and threatened to besiege Wapda offices and stop paying electricity bills.

Muttahida Shopkeepers Federation (MSF) had given the call for the demonstration, while PML-N had announced support to it.

Also in the day, people of Tangi tehsil protested frequent power outages and threatened to agitate if the situation continued.

Protesters took out a rally in Tangi from Prang Ghar Adda, marched through various roads and stopped at Tangi Chowk before blocking the road for quite some time.

In Swabi, too, people complained of prolonged loadshedding and said electric supply remained suspended for 22 hours a day.—Dawn Report