MINGORA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA Dr Haider Ali Khan said on Friday that the federal government had been forcing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to agitate against the prolonged power outages, warning that if the issue of loadshedding and low voltage was not resolved within 10 days they would launch a massive protest against the Wapda and federal government soon after Eidul Fitr.

Speaking at a press conference here at Swat Press Club, the PTI lawmaker said that the country had been facing energy crisis since long, but Wapda was resorting to more power loadshedding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa than the other provinces.

He said that they had been paying bills for 220 volts electricity supply, but they were provided electricity of less than 100 volts. “We will go to the court against the low voltage in the province,” he said.

Dr Khan said that prolonged power outages should be ended soon, warning that if the Wapda failed to fulfill their demand they would give a call for a massive protest after Eidul Fitr. “Even the provincial government could stop cooperation with Wapda if the issue is not resolved,” he warned.

PTI warns of protest after Eid if issue not resolved

The PTI leader claimed that the KP government would soon start work on 356 hydel power projects in the province. He alleged that the National Highway Authority was deliberately delaying the construction work on major roads in the province, particularly in Swat district.

Answering a question, he said that some of the Wapda officials were involved in providing illegal connections to local industrial units, which was the main cause of low voltage in Swat.

‘TRADER WARNED’: Some unidentified people pasted a threatening letter, attributed to the Afghanistan Islami Emirate, Nangarhar, outside a cloth shop in Madyan area of Swat district on Friday, warning the owner to leave the business and the area immediately.

Sources said that the cloth shop was owned by one Mahmood. They said that letter warned the owner to leave both the business and the area as ‘he had been involved in immoral activities’.

It also warned the residents not to allow their women to visit the shop. Madyan police have started investigations into the matter.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2014