Power crisis: Shutter down strike over loadshedding

Protestors blocked the Shahra-e-Kaghan for about three and half hours.

BALAKOT: Outraged by the indifference of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) and frequent power outages, traders and political activists observed shutter down strike here on Tuesday. They blocked the Shahra-e-Kaghan for about three and half hours. The All Traders Association Balakot gave an ultimatum to local PESCO staff to address the issue, which had suspended trade activities, they said. The traders had asked PESCO staff to remove transmission of links from Balakot grid station meant to cut the power supply from Kaghan in case of faults in the transmission line. Yet despite repeated requests, they said, the PESCO staff did not separate the line from the links due to which they were deprived of electricity for four to five hours daily. The protest was called off on assurance of acceptance of their demands.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2012.