LAKKI MARWAT: The local police on Tuesday foiled a terrorist plan by defusing a bomb placed in the fields near Abakhel village.

A police official said a farmer was busy digging land when he spotted a suspected plastic bag nearby.

He said the bomb weighing 12kg was homemade and had detonators and explosive wires attached to it.

`The farmer immediately raised alarm prompting the people to call the police for help. The police showed up along with bomb disposal squad personnel, who defused the bomb,` he said.

END TO OUTAGES DEMANDED: Local residents have demanded that the government and Peshawar Electric Supply Company ensure end to the prolonged power outages during Ramadan. They told Dawn on Tuesday that the district`s both rural and urban areas were subjected to the excessive loadshedding to the people`s misery.

Minhajuddin said electric supply remained suspended for 18 to 20 hours daily in Lakki Marwat`s rural areas, including Zangikhel, Mela Mandrakhel, Badnikhel and Kakakhel.

He said local people had repeatedly requested Pesco to minimise loadshedding hours, but to no avail.

Maulana Sharifullah of Paharkhel Thall area said the prolonged power cuts during the hot summer days had distressed people. He said the federal government had claimed to overcome energy crisis within months of its formation but the claim had turned out to be false.

`Pesco is not serious about taking action against power thieves and defaulters. Instead of lessening them, it is increasing loadshedding hours in remote areas of Lakki Marwat,` he said.

The people said power outages also caused acute shortage of drinking water by rendering tubewells out of commission.

They warned they would agitate if loadshedding was not controlled.