Demanding electricity: Protesters block Mingora-Besham Road for six hours

Claim their village has been deprived of electricity for eight years.

SHANGLA:

Traffic on Mingora-Besham Road was suspended for nearly six hours on Friday as residents of Ranyal village of Shangla district held a demonstration against the unavailability of electricity in the village.

Villagers came out to protest in response to a call made by the Ranyal Islahi Committee. They were led by committee leaders Gul Akbar, Sher Shah and Mehboob Ali.

Protesters chanted slogans against the government and officials of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda). They also offered symbolic funerals for Adviser to the Prime Minister Amir Muqam and MNA from Shangla Dr Ibadullah. Later, effigies of both leaders were burnt.

Addressing the demonstrators, Ranyal Islahi Committee leaders said the village had been deprived of electricity for eight years, while other basic necessities were also not available.

They added they had sacrificed their valuable properties for the sake of Khan Khawar Dam and now Punjab will be lit up with its generated power but they will be living in the dark.

The leaders further said the condition of roads had also deteriorated in the village and its surrounding areas. While several complaints had been made to the district administration, no concrete steps had been taken to address their issues.

Officials of the district administration arrived at the site and negotiated with the protesters. The villagers were assured that the administration would begin work on the provision of electricity within the next few days, following which the demonstrators dispersed.

Decrying fraud

Separately, residents of Shangla also protested against the discontinuation of construction work on Alpuri-Besham Road. The protest was held on the call of Ghorband Action Committee.

According to the protesters, construction was under way but the contactor left in the middle of the project and embezzled the entire construction fund.

They complained that the road was in a poor condition and government officials elected from the area were not taking any interest in fixing the problem.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2014.