ISLAMABAD: Owing to more than Rs3 billion worth outstanding power dues, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) on Monday disconnected power supply to various public and private sector department including street lights and traffic signals across the capital city under an in-discriminatory campaign against defaulters.**

The power company has suspended electricity to 17 public sector and semi-government departments, including the headquarters of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The Film Censor Board, office of the Anti-Narcotics Force, the Pakistan Public Works Department, the National Training Bureau, the government college in Sector F-7 and a cricket ground in Sector G-6 were also among the institutions whose power supply was suspended.

With the suspension of power to the city's traffic signals, the federal capital’s traffic wardens would have to work a lot harder to maintain the flow of traffic.

The Iesco had been sending notices to these departments for some time over non-payment of dues.

A spokesman of Iesco, when contacted, confirmed the development saying, “Yes, power supply to the defaulters has been suspended on account of swelling power dues worth in billions of rupees.”

Reiterating Iesco’s stance against the defaulters, he said the electricity company has suspended power supply to various public and private sector bodies including cricket ground G-6, CDA fountains, government college F-7/2, H-9 and secretariat training Institute etc.

– Sohail Iqbal Bhatti contributed to the reporting