Power protesters end sit-in after agreement with Pesco

Published May 26, 2026 Updated May 26, 2026 08:41am

SWABI: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) on Monday promised to provide maximum relief to consumers, marking the end of a week-long sit-in staged by the Swabi Action Committee (SAC).

According to an agreement, a copy of which was handed over to the SAC, the Pesco officials promised to give ‘relief’ to consumers of the district.

The agreement was reached late Sunday night as the SAC had occupied the Pesco building for seven days.

The written assurance was signed by the Pesco superintendent of operations and the assistant commissioner of headquarters.

The SAC demands included providing relief in loadshedding hours on 11KV feeders under the Pesco in the district, and elimination of over-billing.

However, the Pesco said keeping in view the acute shortage of power throughout the country, it is not possible to provide complete exemption from loadshedding or ensure uninterrupted power supply to the district.

“The power allocation and load management are being carried out in accordance with the directions of the competent authorities and the prevailing power generation situation in the national grid,” said the agreement, adding that after several rounds of negotiations with the committee members, the local administration, and law enforcement agencies, it has been decided that relief in loadshedding hours will be provided to the maximum possible extent.

Further relief shall also be considered to bring the loadshedding up to six hours, subject to the full cooperation of the committee members in the eradication of electricity theft as well as the recovery of outstanding arrears from Pesco defaulters, said the letter. Following the agreement, Salim Khan Advocate, spokesperson of SAC, told Dawn that their continuous protest forced the Pesco to give a written assurance that relief would be provided to consumers in Swabi.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2026

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