FAISALABAD, Oct 14: Workers of powerlooms factories pelted shops with stones in Kutchery Bazaar on Tuesday and damaged various parked vehicles forcing shopkeepers of neighboring bazaars to pull their shutters down in a protest against unscheduled loadshedding in Faisalabad.

Hundreds of labourers took out protest rallies in different parts of the city and all rallies merged at Zila Council Chowk where baton-wielding labourers chanted slogans against the government.

They threw traffic out of gear for five hours and columns of motors could be seen trapped on Jail Road, Circular Road, Kutchery Road, Kotwali Road, Jhang Road.

Labourers marched from Zila Council Chowk to Clock Tower intersection where some traders clashed with them turning the intersection into a battle scene. Workers hit different vehicles, shops and traders with bricks and clubs to vent their ire. Nearly two-dozen people were injured in the clash.

Policemen deployed at the intersection chose not to intervene which forced the shopkeepers in adjoining bazaars to close their shops to avoid any financial or physical loss. Inaction on the part of police forced Anjuman-i-Tajran to make announcements through speakers installed at Clock Tower Intersection that they would take law into their hands if the administration did not protect them. Most of traders shut their businesses for a few hours.

Nasir Ali, a worker who was injured in clashes, told Dawn traders attacked the labourers without any provocation. He demanded a case against the traders for attacking “peaceful protesters”.

Also, industrialists staged a sit-in outside offices of the Faisalabad Electricity Supply Company.

The Supreme Alliance Council, a body formed by the businessmen, gave the protest call demanding immediate halt to loadshedding.

Though violent protests were on in the district, Fesco continued hours long unscheduled loadshedding.

People from different localities complained that that surprised power suspensions had made their lives miserable and forced them to live without water.