MARDAN: Fed up with excessive loadshedding, the villagers in Bakhshali have started removing the electricity metres in protest and securing illegal connections, locals said on Friday. They said the drive was led by one Malik Ayaz from Bakhshali as the villagers had become desperate due to the prolonged power outages.
There were unconfirmed reports that the angry power protesters removed around 6,000 metres to protest the announced power cuts during Ramazan. However, the claims and the figure could not be verified.
Some of the villagers said the police registered a case against Malik Ayaz and others leading the drive and obtaining electricity illegally through kundas. However, there was no information about any arrest.
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters in Katlang took to the streets and blocked the main Mardan-Katlang road.The protesters complained that the Pesco authorities had made life miserable for people by carrying out long hours of loadshedding in Katlang and its surrounding villages. They said the power outages had created severe shortage of ice and drinking water. The protesters blasted MNA Khanzada Khan of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party and Hafiz Akhtar Ali of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl for not highlighting their sufferings.