February 28, 2003	Friday	Zul Hijjah 26, 1423

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RAWALPINDI, Feb 27: The electricity supply to the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) remains suspended despite a passage of more than a week.

Power connection of the civic body was snapped by Iesco due to non-payment of dues. Electricity supply to street lights and tubewells has, however, been restored. The supply to other departments including the Tehsil Municipal Administration, Public Health Engineering Department, Rawalpindi Development Authority and Water and Sanitation Agency had been restored after these bodies cleared their arrears.

The issue seems to be worsening as the RCB has refused to make payments to Iesco and, instead, made counter-claims that the power company owed it outstanding dues. Since then, the RCB has been using generators to light up its offices, but it will be too costly for the civic body which is already running short of funds.

The RCB chief executive officer, Khawaja Iftikhar Mir, said they were planning to approach high officials of the Ministry of Defence and ask them to take up the matter with Wapda chairman.

It needs a permanent solution which is possible only at the highest level, he added.