“For 21 days there was no supply of electricity after the floods; now when the supply has been resumed, 18 hours of load shedding has paralysed our businesses,” said Abdur Rahim, president of the Swat Traders Association.
Sources have informed that the 16 to 18 hours of loadshedding has badly affected the remaining silk industries and tailors shops, as more than 100 silk mills have already been shut down leaving many unemployed. “Some 13,000 workers are currently jobless due to the severe load shedding. Who will be responsible for their livelihood? Who will compensate?” said Sar Zamin La La Je, president of the Swat Silk Unit Owners Association.
Accusing Wapda for deliberately cutting the electricity supply to Swat from a breaker in Chakdara he warned, “Swat has always been neglected by the authorities. Now we are informing Wapda and the government that if they did not stop their tyranny against us, then the silk mill owners and workers will stage protests for which the government will be responsible.”
Meanwhile, a meeting was held between the elders of Swat and the Wapda officials at the DCO’s office. It was attended by the XEN Wapda and HRDO Swat. It may be mentioned that the elders staged intense protest against the unsatisfactory replies of the Wapda officials.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2010.
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