GUJRAT: The Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GTCCI) and the Gujrat Anjuman Tajiran (traders association) have lodged a strong protest against the consistent loadshedding, warning the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) of launching a protest drive if the authorities don`t resolve the issue.

There has been unscheduled power loadshedding of up to 16hours a day and low voltage in the city areas, especially the commercial centres, which have been the worst hit, having adverse effects on the shopping ahead of Eidul Fitr.

The representatives of the local business community, being headed by GTCCI senior vice president Mian Abdul Waheed and traders` leader Javed Yaqoob Dar, expressed resentment of the trade and industry with in a meeting with the officials of Gepco.

The delegation shared problems the businessmen were facing dueto persistent loadshedding and asked the ofñcials concerned to resolve the issue immediately; otherwise, the traders would resort to the street agitation.

The traders said the power generators and uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems had also failed due at the commercial centres in the absence of the electricity supply by Gepco. They demanded the upgrade of the distribution system to get rid of the problem being faced by the local population and businessmen.

Gepco ofHcials told the tradersthe distribution system did not have the capacity to cater to the increased demand of electricity due to rise in the harsh summer weather and whenever it tried to fulfill the demand the system would trip, resulting in the unscheduledloadshedding.

CLERIC BOOKED: Police have booked Aalmi Tanzeem Ahle Sunnat chief Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri and four other clerics for delivering provocative speeches at a religious gathering in the annual congregation at a shrine in the Awan Sharif area ofKarianwala police.

The case was lodged against them for violating peace under the Maintenance of the Public Order.

Mr Qadri was already included in the list of the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) which restricts the movement of the person on the watch list.

However, in case of Pir Afzal Qadri, police have always avoided taking him into custody for committing alleged violations of the ATA sections, citing his poor health.