Prolonged outages: Residents of Shangla protest against load-shedding
“People are subjected to nearly 22 hours of load-shedding every day and the provincial government was trying to push the area back into the stone ages,” complained Mujahid. PHOTO: FILE
Hundreds of residents of Poran tehsil, Shangla district protestsed on Saturday against prolonged power outages in their area.
Nearly 300 people blocked the main Swat-Poran Road for almost three hours. Local activist and Poran Traders Union President Mujahid addressed the demonstrators.
“People are subjected to nearly 22 hours of load-shedding every day and the provincial government was trying to push the area back into the stone ages,” complained Mujahid. “If the outages are not stopped, the government will have to face dire consequences.”
“Residents of other places in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa only endure 10 hours of load-shedding; Shangla is subjected to 22 hours of outages. This has halted business activities in the district.”
“Soon business communities will start migrating from Shangla to areas with lesser power outages,” warned Mujahid.
Furthermore, protesters chanted slogans against Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) officials. They warned the officials would be held responsible in case of any harm or loss to Wapda facilities.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 1st, 2013.