PESHAWAR, June 21: Suspected militants blew up two high power transmission towers here at Surizai Mera area in the limits of Badhber police station in the small hours of Thursday, police said.

A police official said that several blasts were heard in the area after midnight. Police tried to reach the spot but feared ambush and visited the area in the morning, he added.

The official said that the area was located close to Khyber Agency where militants could easily carry out any sabotage act.

To a query, he said that in-volvement of local residents in the blasts could not be ruled.

He said that investigations were underway and police were trying to get a clue to the terrorists.

Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) spokesperson Shaukat Afzal, when contacted, said that militants blew up tower No.318 and 319 of 500KV transmission line by planting several bombs. The blasts, he said, destroyed the Tarbela-Shaikh Mohammadi transmission line towers, which were supposed to provide electricity to different districts of the province including Peshawar, Charsadda,Mardan, Kohat and Hangu.

The spokesperson said that power supply to several districts was suspended, however, Pesco technical teams restored it through alternate sources.

`The alternate sources are not capable to bear huge load so the problern of low voltage will persist in Peshawar, Charsadda, Kohat and Hangu till rehabilitation of the power towers,` he said. Mr Afzal said that the technical experts wee busy in rehabilitation work. It would take 10 to 15 days to restore power supply to the affected districts, he added.

-Bureau Report