LAKKI MARWAT: The local traders and residents have shown anger over excessive power outages in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts, asking the government to take notice of it.

Talking to this scribe on Saturday, the residents of Lakki city said that the urban and rural areas of the district were hit hard by prolonged power cuts.

They alleged that Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) staffers were involved in suspending power supply to their areas illegally.

“On Friday night, supply of electricity to parts of Lakki city linked to feeder-III was suspended when rain started.

The power supply was restored the next day at 4pm. Then it was again suspended at 6pm,” claimed Ishfaq, a local.

Zubair, another resident of the area, said that busy parts of Lakki city including the commercial area located at the main bus terminal were without power facility but no one was there to take up the issue with local authorities of Pesco.

The locals said that power breakdowns had become a routine matter in Lakki city, troubling people from all walks of life including traders.

In Bannu, the office-bearers of Flour and Ghee Dealers Association alleged that the business community was facing the brunt of unscheduled and illegal power loadshedding.

“The excessive outages have left the traders with no option but to close their businesses,” said Hikmatullah Dawar and Hanif Khan Marwat, the leaders of the association.

They said that power breakdowns had badly impacted business besides bringing life to a standstill.

“The government is increasing per unit rate of electricity with each passing day but traders lack the facility despite paying inflated bills,” they said.

They asked the government to take notice of electricity loadshedding, direct local quarters concerned to halt it immediately and initiate action against the Pesco employees involved in facilitating power theft.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2023