SWABI, Jan 1: A large number of workers of textile mills of the Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate held a protest demonstration on Thursday against what they called 19-hour loadshedding carried out by the Peshawar Electric Supply Company.

They feared their expulsion if the prolonged loadshedding was not ended, saying 33 per cent workers had already been fired.

Officials of the mills also took part in the demonstration, also to ensure that the protesters did not turn violent. They included Liaqat Ali, owner of the Mizan Textile Mills, Fazal-i-Subhan, general manager of the International Textile Mills, and Novshad Khan, general manager of the Hattar Textile Mills.

The workers gathered outside their mills and then moved to the main Gadoon estate road where they held the demonstration. They were holding placards and chanting slogans against Pesco and the loadshedding policy of the government.

The mills’ officials told workers that they had the right to hold a peaceful protest and there was no need to turn violent.

The protesting employees said 33 per cent workers had been fired by various units due to excessive power outages and if it was not ended the owners of the mills would lay off more workers.

They said earlier eight-hour loadshedding was carried out by Pesco but during the last few days the duration had been extended, making it difficult for industries to run.

The provincial coalition government came under severe criticism. The workers said the people who had been talking of struggling for rights of the province now remained silent spectators as the people were suffering because of the loadshedding.

Speaking at the demonstration, Mr Liaqat said the main problems of Gadoon workers and industrialists were the excessive loadshedding and breakdown of law and order. “We are preoccupied with our security as industrialists are being kidnapped in broad daylight for ransom,” he said.

Besides loadshedding, he said, fluctuation in power supply also caused damage to costly machinery.

Announcing the future line of action, Mr Liaqat said if the prolonged loadshedding was not given up till Saturday textile mills’ officials along with workers would go to the Peshawar Press Club to hold a peaceful protest demonstration and a press conference there about the problems faced by industrialists and workers of the Gadoon estate.

He said they would give a two-day deadline to the government in the Peshawar press conference and if their demands were not accepted, they would go to Islamabad to hold another demonstration and a press conference in the press club there. In that press conference, he added, they would give a three-day deadline to the government to stop loadshedding.

If their demands were still not met, he said, they would hold a protest outside parliament and would then draw a new line of action.

Fazal-i-Subhan and Novshad Khan said expulsion of workers could create law and order problem.

Our Mansehra Correspondent adds: Residents of the city held a protest demonstration on Thursday against prolonged and unscheduled loadshedding.

“Our businesses and routine life have been paralysed because of the daylong loadshedding and if it is not stopped, a shutter-down and wheel-jam strike will be observed,” they said.

They marched through Shinkiary, Kashmir and Kachary roads and reached the office of the district coordinator officer (DCO) to lodge their protest.

Speaking on the occasion, Anjum Tajran president Saleem Qureshi and others said that for the last three to four days power remained suspended all the day and it was restored late night just for two to three hours. Despite that, they regretted, excessive utility bills were being issued to people.

They said that because of the loadshedding their businesses had been badly affected. They said thousands of daily-wage workers had been rendered jobless and small and medium industries had been closed.

The loadshedding, they said, was also affecting students’ preparation for examinations.

They threatened that if the prolonged loadshedding was not ended, they would observe a strike and block the Karakoram Highway.