PESHAWAR: The residents of different localities of Peshawar staged protest demonstrations here on Wednesday against the prolonged power suspension and besieged a grid station on Dalazak Road.

The enraged protesters also suspended forcefully supply of electricity from various feeders. The power consumers belonging to Wadpaga, Paharipura and Ring Road areas gathered on the premises of 123-KV grid station on Dalazak Road and stopped forcefully supply of electricity from Mohammadzai and Guluzai feeders.

The protesters threatened that they would not leave the grid station unless power supply was restored to their areas. Chanting slogans against Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) and federal government, they said that they would continue to take to streets if power supply to all suburban areas was not restored.

The protesters said that the people belonging to different villages of Mohammadzai area were informed through loudspeakers about the protest.

“The residents of Budhni, Gulozai and other adjacent villages also lodged their protest with Pesco officials on Tuesday but to no avail,” the protesters said. They added that they had given their land for the establishment of Dalazak grid station with a hope that local people would get some respite from the power loadshedding but their hopes were shattered.

Ikramullah Khan, a former councillor, told Dawn that Pesco officials were not paying any heed to their protest demonstrations. The people took to streets for third time during the current month but there was no improvement in power supply to their areas, he added.

“This time we have to besiege Wapda House for indefinite period. On the one hand we bear 17 to 18 hours loadshedding in routine and on the other hand we receive inflated bills,” Mr Ikram said.

He said that his domestic bill for the current month was over Rs17,000 despite the fact that power supply was kept suspended at least for 17 hours daily. He added that all the people were complaining against the loadshedding and inflated bills.

The former councillor said that in the past the government officials always took notice of public protest but presently no one bothered to pay attention to the problems of people and they were forced to become violent. “However, we will remain peaceful,” he said.

Mr Ikram said that they had also informed MNA Sajid Nawaz and Senator Iqbal Zafar Jhagra to help resolve the problems pertaining to power and gas loadshedding.

The power consumers belonging to Nawa Kallay, Shaheen Colony, Umeedabad, Bara Gate also rallied against the prolonged power suspension and gathered outside the office of SDO at Bara Gate.

They said that thieves had stolen power transformers of their area about 20 days ago. An FIR was also lodged at Peshtakhara police station in that regard but Pesco officials were using delaying tactics to install another transformer, they said.

Sadiq Babo, an elder of the area, told Dawn that a delegation had met relevant Pesco officials but they did not resolve the problem so far.

Pesco spokesperson Shaukat Afzal, when contacted, said that loadshedding was observed according to a formula but the people were not paying monthly bills. He said that Pesco had to observe loadshedding in those areas where power theft was common.

“The protesters, who had gathered at the grid station, dispersed peacefully after negotiations with Pesco officials. However, police registered FIR against them for intervention in the official work,” the spokesman said.

Chamkani police station, when contacted, said that the protesters dispersed peacefully and no case was registered against them.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play