Severe rainfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caused a significant power outage, tripping 245 feeders across the region. The heavy rain, which began last night, led to widespread disruption in power supply managed by the Peshawar Electric Supply Corporation (Pesco). According to Pesco's spokesperson, the rainfall caused 83 feeders to trip in the Peshawar Circle and 64 feeders in the Khyber Circle. Additionally, 21 feeders were affected in Abbottabad, 21 in Mardan, 29 in Swat, 20 in Swabi, and 8 in Mansehra. Pesco staff, under the direction of Chief Akhtar Hameed Khan, began repair work as soon as the rain subsided.

In response to the ongoing load shedding, over 500 enraged protesters stormed the Bannu Grid Station, taking control of the facility and forcibly reactivating all 23 feeders connected to it. The protesters also clashed with Pesco staff, who were threatened and physically attacked. The demonstrators warned of larger-scale protests in the future, vowing to mobilize 10,000 to 15,000 people if their grievances are not addressed. Pesco has announced that it will take legal action against the protesters for their actions.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan