Power suspension in Siran valley protested

MANSEHRA: People in Siran valley on Wednesday blocked Jabori-Mansehra road for several hours against Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) for its failure to restore electricity supply even one week after it developed a fault.

“The power supply got suspended after the snowfall in five union councils of the Siran valley,” said Abdul Wahid Khan, president of the traders union.

The traders observed shutdown on Wednesday to protest the week-long power suspension.

The protesters assembled in Jabori bazaar and set ablaze used tyres, blocking the main artery to all sort of vehicular traffic. Abdul Wahid said that power supply was yet to be restored in Sum Allai Mung, Bugermung, Jabori, Schain and Babar Punjool.

“Our businesses and domestic life has come to a standstill. If electricity supply is not restored within the next 12 hours, we will protest in front of the deputy commissioner offices,” he warned.

He said a local delegation had met the assistant commissioner at a public forum recently and the official assured restoration of electricity to the entire Siran valley, but to no avail.

NAZIM ITTEHA: The Nazimeen Ittehad has threatened to block Karakoram Highway (KKH) if appointment letters of village and neighbourhood council’s secretaries were not issued within next 48 hours.

“Most of village and neighbourhood councils are running without office secretary’s adversary affecting performance of local governments in the district,” Basharat Ali Swati, the general secretary of the Ittehad, told reporters.

He said that a meeting of village and neighbourhood council’s nazims were held earlier in the day, which decided to come onto streets if vacant posts of secretaries were not filled without any further delay.

“The process for appointment of secretaries was held some nine months ago,” said Basharat Ali.