LOWER DIR: The local Jamaat-i-Islami leaders on Wednesday said the successive governments had “mortgaged” the country to obtain loans from the International Monetary Fund under strict conditions.

They also announced a complete shutter down strike against exorbitant electricity bills here on Sept 2 (Saturday) with the support of trader bodies on the call of JI chief Sirajul Haq.

JI district chief Izazul Mulk Afkari, former MNA Sahibzada Yaqub Khan, former MPA Saeed Gul and JI district general secretary Hafiz Yaqubur Rehman told a presser here that the government had imposed 11 “illegal” taxes in power bills to the people’s misery.

They said prices of essential commodities had gone beyond the purchasing power of the common man.

Shutter down strike against inflated power bills on Saturday

Accompanied by Dir Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mian Noor Alam and Anjuman Tajiran Timergara president Haji Anwaruddin, the JI leaders claimed that around 189,000 employees of power companies availed themselves of free power supply.

Meanwhile, the Lower Dir Jewellers’ Association on Wednesday observed a strike on the call of its central leadership and demonstrated against inflated power bills.

Association president Ziaullah said escalating inflation and exorbitant power bills had troubled jewellers like other people.

He said jewellers struggled to pay shop rents.

Mr Ziaullah demanded a significant reduction in power tariff and warned if the demand wasn’t met, the people would begin a movement of civil disobedience.

In Bisham city of Shangla district, the Peshawar Electric Supply Company and local administration carried out raids and removed illegal hooks from power poles and got many residents booked for illegally consuming electricity.

The action was led by Pesco sub-divisional officer Mohammad Junaid and assistant commissioner Adnan Khan.

Mr Junaid told reporters that a crackdown had been initiated in the area on power thieves.

He added that after the removal of illegal electricity connections and hooks, legal action was being taken against culprits.

“We’re suffering huge losses due to power theft, so anyone consuming electricity illegally won’t be spared,” he said.

Meanwhile, a jirga was held in Hutal Batkool area of Battagram district on Wednesday expressed concern over prolonged power outages and low voltage.

Local elders and representatives of local bodies showed up there in large numbers.

They claimed that the Pesco was subjecting the people to 20 hours long power cuts and low voltage daily.

The participants said that when Allai area was linked with Bisham power feeder, people didn’t face the issue of excessive power cuts but the subsequent linking of the area with Hutal Batkool feeder caused problems for residents.

They claimed that they would inform the representatives of the district administration and Pesco about the people’s complaints about the power crisis for corrective measures.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2023