QUETTA: Electricity supply to several cities and towns in the border districts of Balochistan has been suspended or curtailed as Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has stopped providing diesel to small power houses after the provincial government and Wapda failed to pay its dues.

According to sources, PSO stopped supply to the power houses which were not connected with the national grid system. “The provincial government and Wapda in Quetta have not paid outstanding dues to PSO for several months,” the sources said here on Saturday.

Several areas of Balochistan, including Dureji, Washuk, Awaran, Mashkey, Jewani, Ormara, Nokundi, Kalmat and Pishkan, get electricity from small power houses which run on diesel provided by PSO from Karachi.

The fuel company took the step after the authorities concerned in the Balochistan government and Wapda did not heed to its reminders to pay the dues.

The diesel-based power houses had been supplying electricity for six to 18 hours a day to the cities and towns in the districts bordering Iran and Afghanistan.

Sources in the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) confirmed that PSO had stopped fuel supply to nine small power generation houses.

However, official sources said Chief Minister Dr Malik Baloch had contacted the chief executive officer of Qesco and assured him that PSO’s dues would be paid and asked him to ensure power supply to the affected areas.

“Qesco officials did not respond and power supply was suspended on Saturday in Dureji, Nokundi, Washuk, Mashkey and Jewani,” a Balochistan government official told Dawn. He said power supply to several other towns would also be stopped in a couple of days if the issue was not resolved.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2015

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