Power riots erupt in Pindi region

GUJAR KHAN, April 25: Massive loadshedding in Rawalpindi region forced the residents of Gujar Khan, Taxila and Chakwal to protest and block leading arteries of their respective cities by burning tyres and parking trucks and trawlers on the roads. Over 19 hours announced and unannounced loadshedding turned the protesters violent. In Gujar Khan, participants of a rally not only blocked the G. T. Road for over four hours but ransacked two offices of Iesco damaging record, furniture and other equipment. The protesters, including traders, mechanics, farmers from the nearby villages, thronged the G. T. Road and started chanting slogans against PPP regime and President Asif Ali Zardari. Soon they turned into a well organised mob and forcibly parked trawlers and truck at dual carriage way to block traffic between Rawalpindi and Lahore at about 3pm. Later, the mob, equipped with clubs, ransacked a nearby complaint office of Iesco and burnt its wooden furniture and destroyed gadgets by heaping them on the burning tyres. The office of SDO (construction) located in the vicinity of the grid station was also attacked by a crowd of over 300 youth. They damaged record, furniture and whatever they could lay their hands on. During all this anarchical situation police led by SHOs of Mandra, Gujar Khan and Jatli kept making frantic efforts to negotiate with the mob but there was no leader in the agitation. "We have been making efforts to contact any political figure of Gujar Khan including Raja Pervez Ashraf, MNA but the cellphones of all the political figures were off and there was no body to help the police in pacifying the angry mob." In Taxila, protesters blocked G. T. Road near Wah Cantt for more than one hour leaving the traffic stranded on different roads. The angry protesters also chanted anti-government slogans. Talking to newsmen Chairman Taxila Traders Association Sheikh Ziaud Din said that the horrific loadshedding had made the lives of masses miserable. He called on the government to deal with the power crisis immediately. When contacted Executive Engineer Arif Khan termed the situation as forced load shedding as there is massive shortfall faced by the Iesco. He said that according to schedule only 8 hours load-shedding was observed. In Boun, a village of Chakwal, protesters blocked Chakwal-Sargodha Road for more than two hours. They burnt tyres and shouted slogans against the government and Wapda. Kallar Kahar SHO Saleem Akhtar rushed towards the town of Chakwal with heavy contingents of police but they failed to calm down the protesters. When the police resorted to firing in the air, the protesters got violent and they manhandled the SHO. At this the situation slipped towards the worst. DSP (Headquarters) Chaudhry Abdul Saleem also came and assured the protesters that the SHO would be suspended and Wapda would be requested to rationalise the loadshedding. This soothed the protesters and they dispersed. Later, District Police Officer Syed Ali Mohsin suspended the SHO. A protest rally was also held in Chakwal city in which traders and members of the civil society participated. The protesters were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the government and Wapda. Meanwhile, the lawyers of Chakwal, Talagang and Choa Syedan Shah boycotted the courts and gave seven days ultimatum of to government to end loadshedding. Addressing a press conference the lawyers representatives said that unannounced loadshedding had almost brought their daily work to a standstill. "The cases of the poor people have been delayed as photo stat, fax machine and computers are lying switched off," Khaja Ashgar Farooq maintains. In Attock, worst load shedding has affected the routine of the people as they are spending sleepless nights. The children are the worst sufferers of the loadshedding as it has affected their studies. People in the Attock district and adjoining areas undergo 15 to 18 hours of loadshedding while rural areas are facing up to 20 hours of power suspension.