PESHAWAR: The local government representatives and leaders of political parties have come down hard on the government over the excessive loadshedding in the provincial capital and warned they along with the people would agitate, block roads and besiege Wapda House if smooth electric supply was not ensured to the city.

Accompanied by other LG men, district council member Haji Karim Jan told reporters here on Monday that his area, Hazarkhwani, had been subjected to more than 12 hours of loadshedding daily to the misery of the local residents.

“We have time and again complained to the Peshawar Electric Supply Company about the excessive power outages, but to no avail. If corrective measures are not taken without delay, the people of my area will block Ring Road in protest,” he said.

In a statement, Kakar village council nazim Hazrat Aman said electric supply to Daudzai, Bakhshipul, Kakar and Nasapa areas remained suspended for at least 12 hours daily.

LG representatives, parties warn govt of agitation, blocking of roads

He said the people regularly paid power bills but even then they were subjected to excessive loadshedding.

The nazim claimed that there was no illegal connection in the area and therefore, prolonged power cuts were unjustified.

He warned if loadshedding was not reduced immediately, then the people of his area would be besiege Wapda House to record their protest.

Another nazim, Malik Asghar Khan, complained about the hours long power outages in Khalisa-II, Khalid Bin Waleed Colony, Waliabad, Yousufabad, Ring Road, Patang Chowk, Dir Colony and Anisabad areas.

He said loadshedding had caused severe water shortage.

The nazim warned that the local residents would begin protests and besiege Wapda House against power cuts and if that happened, the Pesco would be to blame.

Local town council member, Haji Abdul Mateen, pointed out that the duration of loadshedding in the areas including Gulbahar, Shakarpura, Daman Afghani, Karakai and Subhangul Korona had gone up considerable during the last some days and thus, irking the people.

He said loadshedding had caused water shortage forcing the people to fetch water from far-off areas.

The councillor said the nighttime loadshedding had increase the incidence of street crime.

He also complained about low voltage saying it is damaging electric appliances.

The councillor warned that the residents of the area would come onto the streets against loadshedding.

Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party provincial president Humayun Khan has warned his party will soon announce a protest campaign against loadshedding in the province.

He criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for failing to ease power crisis during the four years of rule saying the PM had promised to check outages within 90 days of coming to power.

“We will soon announce a campaign against government for over excessive loadshedding,” he told Dawn.

Also, Awami National Party general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain criticised the PML-N government for failing to keep promise on end to loadshedding.

He told Dawn that it was time that the government give the control of power companies to provinces for the upgrade of power supply system and effective control of loadshedding, line losses and power theft.

The ANP leader said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was the best option for the government to give due power share to all provinces, upgrade the outdated supply system and bring an end to loadshedding.

He said his party had always raised voice against injustices meted out to smaller provinces on part of the federal government.

Qaumi Watan Party spokesman Tariq Khan said his party had always raised voice against the excessive outages as the federal government had focused its attention on the development of Punjab only by neglecting KP.

He urged the federal government to upgrade grid stations, transmission lines to sustain power burden warning if that didn’t happen, no one could believe the ‘hollow claims’ of Nawaz Sharif to end outages by 2018.

The QWP spokesman said KP was part of Pakistan like other provinces and therefore, it should be give the due share in its and national resources.

When contacted, spokesman for Pesco Shaukat Afzal said loadshedding was a compulsion in light of energy crisis.

He said loadshedding complainants mostly came from the areas wherein the incidence of line losses and power theft was more than 70 per cent.

He said the Pesco strictly followed a government policy for loadshedding.

“Those wanting to get smooth power supply should avoid power theft and pay bills regularly,” he said.

The spokesman urged power consumers to extend cooperation to the company, preserve energy and stop the use of illegal connections.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2017