SWABI: The Tarbela Dam authorities have written a letter to the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) following a recent Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf protest against power outages and electricity distribution issues in Swabi district, asking it to resolve such problems.

On Aug 3, PTI workers led by provincial minister Aqibullah Khan staged a protest against electric loadshedding outside the dam’s gate.

The protesters met the dam’s general manager and handed a charter of demands to him. The dam official had assured the PTI protesters that the loadshedding and other issues highlighted in the charter would be resolved.

The letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn, said that the protesting leaders and workers had raised several grievances relating to electric supply and distribution. It said the issues highlighted in the charter of demands included the unannounced and forced loadshedding, high electricity tariffs, low voltage, delayed repair and replacement of faulty transformers, rusted transmission lines, and other matters about electricity distribution.

The letter observed that almost all of the issues raised by the PTI leaders and workers fell within the jurisdiction and responsibility of Pesco, adding, however, that the protesters had been staging demonstrations outside the Right Bank Colony, Tarbela, even though Wapda/Tarbela Dam administration had no role in the operation, maintenance or distribution of electricity in the areas concerned.

The letter said that these protests caused inconvenience to the employees and residents of the colony, disrupting the normal working environment and creating avoidable administrative and security concerns.

Pesco was requested to examine the charter of demands on a priority basis and take appropriate remedial measures to address genuine grievances of consumers.

The protesters had argued that Tarbela Dam, situated in the Swabi district, was the country’s electricity lifeline, but Swabi people sustained prolonged power cuts.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2026