PESHAWAR: The hours long suspension of power sparked protest demonstrations across the provincial metropolis on Saturday, as Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) has failed to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to consumers.
Like other parts of the country, the people took to the streets against loadshedding and increase in the power tariff.
Residents of Karimpura held a protest demonstration against the unprecedented power outages in winter season. Abdul Wahid Qadri, nazim of the union council, led the demonstration. The protesters chanted slogans against Wapda authorities and government
Speaking on the occasion, Qadri said 18 hours loadshedding on a daily basis had paralysed the routine life of Peshawarites.
“If the government cannot provide electricity to consumers in winter season, how will the authorities manage to ensure power supply in summer when the demand increases manifold,” he said.
He demanded of the government to resign if it could not resolve energy crisis, which, he said, had brought life to a standstill.
He went on to say that they did not want to disrupt peace in the city but if Wapda authorities failed to end the loadshedding they would besiege Wapda House and would also stop paying the electricity bills.
Residents of Charsadda Road, Pajagi Road and Kohat Road also held separate protest demonstrations against the outages. The demonstrators chanted slogans against the government and demanded of the rulers to resign or immediately solve the problem.
It merits a mention here that before start of the month of Muharramul Haram Wapda authorities had assured that electricity to imambargahs would not be disrupted; however, entire city including sensitive areas have been plunged into darkness.
The Shia community is facing power outages, especially at nights when there several Majalis gatherings are held at all the major imambargahs across the city.
The long hours power outages might lead to an untoward incident in the imambargahs due to prevalent law and order, Syed Moizul Hasnain said while talking to ‘The News’.
He added that miscreants could take advantage of power outages and carry out an attack like the one that Peshawarites recently witnessed in Koocha Risaldar where at least 35 persons were killed.
Our correspondent adds from Nowshera: Condemning the ongoing prolonged power outages, Action Committee Tajiran, Anjuman-i-Shehriyan and Citizen Front Saturday threatened to observe a complete strike and sit-in if the routine was not changed forthwith.
The citizens complained that President Asif Ali Zardari had clearly announced to abolish the hours-long loadshedding but Wapda was defying the orders of the high authority. “Rather the span of power outages has been increased to enhance the pain and pangs of poor consumers.”
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