ISLAMABAD, Feb 9: The Wapda has decided to disconnect power supply to whole of Azad Kashmir except its capital Muzaffarabad besides public sector entities in the federal government with effect from Monday.
“We have issued power disconnection notice to Azad Kashmir, Survey of Pakistan, Cantonment Board Rawalpindi,” Brig Waseem Zafar, chief executive Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) told Dawn. “If they fail to clear their outstanding dues in full, we will terminate the power supply on Monday at 10am,” he said.
He said that Iesco’s total arrears against the public sector amounted to over Rs3 billion and Azad Kashmir government was on top with Rs1.9 billion outstanding dues. This also includes a sizable late payment surcharge.
The brigadier said that Cantonment Board Rawalpindi had an outstanding amount of Rs140 million but they were reluctant to clear this amount. He said that Member (power), Wapda, Manzoor Sheikh had also written a letter to the secretary defence on the subject.
Waseem said that power supply to Azad Kashmir would be disconnected from Mangla power station, which would plunge Mirpur, Kotli, Rawalakot and Bagh districts into darkness.
To a question as to why power supply was being disconnected to various districts but capital Muzaffarabad was being spared, he said that the capital city was getting power supply from Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) and did not fall in Iesco’s jurisdiction.
He also mentioned the names of Survey of Pakistan at Murree Road Rawalpindi, various offices of Pakistan Works Department and Cantonment Board Rawalpindi whose power supply would be disconnected on Tuesday.
He said that Capital Development Authority (CDA) also had outstanding dues and was in dispute over the streetlights with Iesco. However, it would not be deprived of the electricity at the moment because “we are waiting for their reply on an understanding reached at a meeting presided over by additional secretary finance.”
“We don’t want to disclose details of the understanding at the moment as principally agreed to but we would make it public and disconnect power supply to CDA office if they did not clear their outstanding dues,” said the Iesco chief.
To a question, he said that Iesco’s dues against defence ministry were being cleared and hence their power supply would not be disconnected.
He, however, did not comment on Rs4.3 billion arrears that general headquarters (GHQ) did not pay to Wapda and said he was not authorised to say something on behalf of Wapda.
Waseem said that Iesco had set up as many as 14 new sub-divisions under its jurisdiction, including three in Islamabad, nine in Rawalpindi and the remaining in Gujar Khan.
