QUETTA, Nov 30: Work has been stopped on the laying of 132KV Khuzdar-Nal and Sorab-Zahri power transmission lines due to poor law and order situation and theft of electric cables in the two areas, according to Qesco. “The contractor has stopped work on the Khuzdar-Nal project after theft of one and a half kilometres long electric wire on Wednesday night,” a spokesman for the Quetta Electric Supply Company said.

The Khuzdar police have not registered any case, the Qesco spokesman said.

Work on Sorab-Zahri transmission line was stopped last month after a contractor and his staff were thrashed by unknown armed people who also robbed them of cash and other valuable items.

Qesco was spending Rs400 million on the two projects. The contractor has erected 164 big towers for the Khuzdar-Nal line and completed 50 per cent work of this project.

Qesco started work on two schemes on war footing after protests and strikes by people to solve the problems of loadshedding and low voltage in the area.