SWABI: The Jamaat-i-Islami leaders announced on Saturday to launch a protest campaign against the unscheduled gas and electricity loadshedding in Swabi district.

The decision was made at the executive council meeting presided over by Saeed Zada, former JI district chief. The gathering was attended by Mian Iftikhar, patron-in-chief, Sohail Ahmad, general secretary, Iqbal Zada, tehsil Swabi president, Mehmoodul Hassan, former election contesting candidate, Fahad Shah, tehsil Chota Lahor president, and various other office-bearers.

The JI office-bearers were asked to prepare the workers in their respective areas for the protest drive.

Briefing the mediapersons about the decisions taken at the meeting, Saeed Zada said though consumption of electricity decreased in the winter the people were subjected to excessive power outages.

“The non-availability of gas caused more difficulties for the consumers. This reflects on incompetency of the government,” he said.

On the occasion, Mehmoodul Hassan said the far-flung areas faced massive loadshedding of power and gas, but the consumers received inflated utility bills.

PROTEST: People of Dara village staged a protest demonstration for the recovery of five people who were released on the orders of a local court on bail on Friday, but could not reach home.

The people reached in a procession to Karnal Sher Khan Chowk in the district headquarters and demanded of the police to help recover the people.

The protesters said five relatives Asad Khan, Akhtar Amin, Zuhaib Khan, Salim Khan and Bahadar Khan were coming to their village after release, but when they reached Swabi Judicial Complex they disappeared.

The people said it was yet to be known as to what crime they were arrested for, and where they had gone after their release from prison.

They warned of more protests if the police did not recover the missing men at the earliest.

Later, the protesters ended their agitation after the police officials assured them of making efforts to trace the missing people.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2020