SWAT: Local residents on Tuesday staged a demonstration against prolonged power outages, with a large number of people gathering in Rahat Kot area of Bar Swat district.
The protesters blocked major road leading to Kalam for four hours, bringing traffic to a standstill and leaving school students and other passengers trapped. The demonstrators also chanted slogans against Wapda officials.
While addressing the crowd, Speakers said that the residents were compelled to protest due to severe, prolonged and unannounced power load shedding. They noted that the authorities had promised only six hours of load shedding in 24 hours; however, the actual outage far exceeded that schedule.
Moreover, they complained that a single meter reader was insufficient for the entire area, leading to neglected duties and inflated electricity bills for local households.
The participants stated that the unavailability of power disrupted daily life, affected local business activities and created difficulties for households. They also urged the authorities to solve the matter promptly.
Later, the main road was reopened for traffic after the authorities negotiated with the protesters and assured them that their demands would be met.
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