BAJAUR: The people of Bajaur tribal district on Sunday expressed grave concern over the prolonged suspension of electricity to the region and warned to take to streets if power was not restored immediately.

Talking to Dawn, residents of several areas of the district pointed out that most parts of the region had been without electricity since Monday last causing great inconvenience to them.

Liaquat Ali, a resident of Yousafabad in Khar tehsil, said power suspension was a matter of great concern for the residents as besides other problems it had also created water shortage in the area.

He said the local people had decided to take to the streets if power supply was not restored till Monday (today).

Threaten protest if electricity not restored on priority

Talking to this correspondent, PML-N provincial vice-president and former MNA Shahabuddin Khan said almost all areas of Bajaur had been without electricity for the last seven days, creating shortage of drinking water and other problems for the residents.

He held the Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company responsible for the power suspension and also criticised the district administration and local lawmakers for not resolving people’s issues.

JI leader Qari Abdul Majeed, Bajaur Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Haji Lali Shah, JUI-F leader Haji Said Badshah and PTI leader Said Ahmad Jan also showed their concerns over the power suspension for the last seven days.

They threatened to hold a protest demonstration if electricity to the district was not restored immediately.

Meanwhile, residents of Sadiqabad, Charmang and Salarzai areas told this scribe that they had launched the repair work on the transmission lines affected by rains and snowfall after delaying tactics by the relevant officials.

When contacted, a Tesco official in Khar confirmed that most areas of the district had been without electricity since Monday last. However, he said that efforts had been launched on Sunday to repair the transmission lines and restore power supply.

RAINWATER CLEARED: The authorities here on Sunday said to have saved several houses from damage after clearing rainwater accumulated along the road in Sheikh Meno locality of Khar tehsil.

According to a statement issued by the district administration, following residents’ complaints deputy commissioner Iftikhar Alam directed the TMA and other officials to clear the rainwater accumulated during last few days in the locality.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2022