QUETTA, Oct 13: The Quetta Electricity Supply Company (Qesco) is planning to close down its 15 power houses in Balochistan from Oct 15 because of financial crisis. “There will no supply of electricity to 15 cities in Balochistan from Saturday,” sources told Dawn on Thursday.

The decision would affect Duragi, Dalbandin, Awaran, Nokundi, Washuk, Peshkan, Ormara, Mashky, Jewani, Nilat, Kapar, Kalmat and some other areas, they said.

The sources said Qesco had been running the power houses, which were not linked with the national grid, for 25 years.

The company informed the provincial government recently that it was not possible for the Water and Power Development Authority to run the power houses without financial help because of increasing petrol prices.

According to the sources, Qesco said in a letter that the provincial government had agreed to provide financial help for running the power houses but no payment was made in this regard during the past three years.

It said Rs90 million was due against the provincial government on this account.

Qesco officials said copies of the letter had been sent to the MPAs from the affected areas, including Balochistan Assembly Deputy Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani.

Mr Bhootani took up the issue with President Pervez Musharraf during his last visit to Quetta. The President assured him that the matter would be settled with Wapda soon.

However, the Balochistan government has not taken any step to resolve the issue.

The deputy speaker and provincial Ministers Syed Sher Jan Baloch, Abdul Qadoos Bizenjo, Mir Habibur Rehman Mohammad Hasni, Amanullah Notezai and Mir Shabir Ahmed Badani have appealed to the president and Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf to resolve the issue before Oct 15.