LAKKI MARWAT: Activists of political parties and civil society organisations blocked the BannuMianwali Road in Lakki city on Monday to protest prolonged and unscheduled electricity loadshedding in urban and rural areas of the district.

The protesters gathered at Qazi Ishfaq Chowk and closed the busy road for three hours, causing long queues of vehicles.

The protesters said long power shutdowns had created a water crisis, forcing people to purchase the commodity. They warned people won`t pay their bills if `unfair` loadshedding was not halted.

`The government has launched a campaign to curb power theft and improve recoveries, but Peshawar Electric Supply Company is carrying out excessive outages in urban and ruralareas,` a speaker regretted.

He said benefits of `successful` anti-power theft drive could not reach the electricity consumers.

Former MPA Zafrullah Khan, former district nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel, former tehsil nazim Haji Hidayatullah Khan, neighbourhood council nazim Eng Latifullah Khan, Imranullah of ANP, Tehreek-i-Haqoog Marwat Bitanni chairman Inamullah Khan and others spoke on the occasion.

They set a week`s deadline for Pesco to stop electricity loadshedding or they would expand their agitation.

The protester ended the road blockade after negotia-tions with additional assistant commissioner Sultan Nooruddin Ahmer.

Meanwhile, over 50 motorcycles parked on the roadside were impounded during an anti-encroachment operation in Naurang city here on Monday.

The operation was launched on the instructions of deputy commissioner Rahmat Ali Wazir to clear the main road for smooth flow of traffic.

The anti-encroachment squad of tehsil municipal administration used machinery to remove more than 50 bikes parked on both sides of the road.

An official said the bikes had been handed over to traffic police to initiate legal action against owners.

TOURNAMENT: The Lakki Marwat Bachkan Ahmadzaiteam beat Bannu in the final of Ziad Durrani memorial kabaddi tournament held on Monday.

Thousands of people and game lovers from Bannu, Lakki Marwat and other southern districts watched the final held on the Mandan Park ground in Bannu city.

The final match was thrilling from the start as Lakki Bachkan team won the toss and raided the rivals first. They got an edge over rival players from the start and maintained the lead till the end, winning the final by 40:30.

The Lakki players then danced on drumbeats.

Director general sports merged districts Abdullah Shah, former MPA Riaz Khan and regional sports officer Shafgatullah distributed trophies and cash prizes among the players of the winning and runner-up teams.