Protesters attack Pesco vehicle in Torghar

MANSEHRA: The angry protesters on Friday attacked the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) vehicle and stopped its officials from suspending power supply to Judbah and other parts of Torghar district.

“Our protest will continue till the withdrawal of inflated utility bills and restoration of electricity supply,” Maulana Safiullah, a local elder, told protesters.The protesters from Judbah, Dore Mera and Shagai areas assembled at Judbah-Thakot Road and blocked traffic, setting tyres on fire.

They raised slogans in support of their demands and attacked a Peshawar Electric Supply Company’s pickup, carrying officials to remove transformers’ breakers to suspend power supply in the area.

The angry protesters didn’t allow the Pesco’s officials to remove the breakers from pylons.The Pesco officials told reporters that the tribesmen had not been paying utility bills for the last many months.

The protesters led by Maulana Safiullah also staged a sit-in and announced to continue their agitation until electricity was restored. “We are ready to pay our dues if the Pesco dispatches utility bills on each household’s unit reading, instead of dividing consumed electricity among the entire population,” Maulana Safiullah said.

Another local elder, Zahid Khan said thousands of acres of their land were inundated by the Tarbela dam water reservoir and its catchment areas, but over 80 percent population of their district was still without electricity.