SWABI: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has started efforts to defuse tension after a violent protest against unscheduled loadshedding and low voltage problems in Chota Lahor tehsil on Friday.

Sources said on Saturday that soon after storming of the Pesco sub-division and local courts in Chota Lahor tehsil the KP Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar, senior provincial minister Shahram Khan Tarakai and Qaumi Watan Party MPA Abdul Karim held a meeting in the Speaker’s Chamber. They discussed the issues and steps to be taken for defusing tension in the area.

“The leaders of the political parties have to play their role at this critical stage, but if they failed they would have to face wrath of the people in future,” said a local leader.

Observers here in the district said that integrity of the political parties was at stake and this was the time to come forward and settle the issues arising with power protest.

Sources said that the government functionaries and parliamentarians were really concerned at the damage caused to Chota Lahor tehsil courts. They, however, said that all other issues could be tackled easily.

Police confirm six protesters held in Chota Lahor

They said that Mr Qaisar, Mr Tarakai and Mr Karim were unanimous in their approach that the Pesco staff of Chota Lahor tehsil sub-division was responsible for the entire mess because they carried out unscheduled prolonged loadshedding and the consumers had been forced to stage a violent protest.

The jirga members of Chota Lahor tehsil were also called and they were told to play their role while assisting the parliamentarians in defusing the tension. District police officer Sajjad Khan has said that they have already registered an FIR against 2,500 power protesters and arrested six of them.

The sources said that a meeting would be held in the Speaker’s Chamber on Monday, which would also be attended by the Pesco officials and elders of Chota Lahor.

They said that Mr Tarakai and Mr Karim were expected to take up the issue of Chota Lahor protest in the KP Assembly on Monday. When contacted, Mr Karim said that he hoped that he would be given time to speak on the issue in the assembly.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2015

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