Tribes threaten protest against prolonged power outages

BANNU: The elders of Mandan and Surani tribes on Tuesday threatened to stage protest against the officials of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) for carrying out prolonged loadshedding in the villages.

A grand jirga of the Mandan tribe was held at the Mandan House with Malik Yousafullah Khan in the chair. Malik Adnan Khan, former councillor Malik Ihsan Khan, erstwhile president District Bar Association Malik Nisar Khan advocate, Hafiz Gulab Khan, Younas Khan, Anjuman-i-Tajiran president Malik Maqbool Khan and others attended the jirga.

Speaking on the occasion, they said that they had been facing numerous problems due to hours-long loadshedding. The power feeder in Mandan area has been tripping frequently due to overload and electric appliances in several houses, they added.

Regarding the Mandan dual road, they said that former chief minister Pervez Khattak had sanctioned Rs220 billion for the construction of the road.

They said that the government had released Rs40 million to the former MPA Malik Riaz Khan for the completion of the road, adding, the government should take notice of the delay and release the remaining fund for the project. Meanwhile, the Pesco executive engineer and sub-divisional officer assured the elders to divert some of the consumers to the Haved feeder. On the other hand, the elders of Surani tribe also held a jirga with Malik Nawab Khan Surani in the chair.

Speaking on the occasion, the participants said they had finalised their plan to stage a protest and block roads but the Pesco officials held talks with the elders and assured them of an early solution to the loadshedding problem.