LAKKI MARWAT: The local residents held a protest demonstration in Lakki Marwat on Saturday against prolonged power breakdown and delay in repairing a damaged power pylon at Chashma in Miansali district.

The protesters led by former district nazim Ashfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel gathered at the Kargil Chowk on the busy Tajazai-Darra Tang section of BannuMianwali Road and condemned the relevant authorities for `failure` to resolve the power crisis.

On the occasion, Mr Meenakhel said that the inhabitants of Lakki city in particular and those of the rural areas of the district had been hit hard by electricity suspension forthe lasthve days.

He alleged that the local authorities concerned seemed disinterested to take up the matter with high ups to pave the way for its early resolution.

He said that on one hand people were facing the brunt of scorching heat and sticky weather while on the other, the power crises had added to their troubles and miseries.

The former nazim said that electricitysuspension and low voltage had caused acute water shortage in the urban and rural areas of the district, forcing people to undergo a lot of trouble to fetch water for drinking and other domestic purposes.

He called upon the government to expedite work on repair and rehabilitation of damaged power pylons to restore electricity to the area.

Meanwhile, an official of the district administration said that recent floods had damaged the high power transmission line at Chashma, disrupting smooth supply of electricity to Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts.

The deputy commissioner, Zeeshan Abdullah, said that experts` teams had arrived at the venue from Multan and Rawalpindi with heavy machinery, and the repair and rehabilitation work on the damaged power pylons was in full swing.

The deputy commissioner said that his administration and the Pesco teams were fully alert and were using all available resources to provide maximum relief to the citizens.

The assistant commissioner, Ikramullah Khan, asked the people not to believe in hearsay and show patience as the authorities concerned were actively engaged in restoring electricity supply.