PESHAWAR: Residents of various localities in the suburbs of the provincial capital on Tuesday protested against the prolonged power outages.

The people belonging to Faqir Killi, Kaneza, Char Pariza and Pejagi areas had announced the protest on loudspeakers and converged on the main Pajagi Road in the peak morning hours. The riled protesters chanted slogans against the government, Wapda, and also tried to move towards the local grid station, but the police foiled their attempt.

The protesters said that power supply remained suspended for many hours daily, causing acute water shortage in the villages as they got water from tubewells.

The agitators said they had to fetch water from far-off areas in vehicles.

The officials of Peshawar Electric Supply Company, they alleged were least bothered to take notice of their complaints which forced them to come onto the streets. They said if Pesco failed to ensure smooth power supply to the villages then the people would give another protest call and the power company would be responsible for any mishap.

Meanwhile, the city police have discussed a strategy to control protests against power outages across the city.

A statement issued here said the meeting took place at the Malik Saad Shaheed police lines late on Monday and chaired by the city police chief Qazi Jamilur Rehman.

The meeting took place after a scuffle between police personnel and protesters agitating power outages outside the Pajagi grid station, in which a policeman was injured.

The statement said the city police chief directed the officials to constantly keep in touch with the Pesco officials, and also alert the traffic police in case of power protests so that alternative routes were opened for traffic.

The CCPO also directed the officials to keep in touch with the local elders, district government representatives and religious elders to keep the situation under control.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2018