PESHAWAR, Nov 13: Pesco Chief Executive Brigadier Tahir Saeed Malik said on Friday that connections of all the defaulted provincial government departments would be disconnected after Eidul Fitr.

Talking to journalists here at Iftar-dinner he hosted for the newsmen, he said: "I have decided in principal to disconnect power connections of all the defaulted provincial government departments and informed the spokesman of the NWFP government about the same". The NWFP government has not paid a single penny under the head of electricity changes to the Pesco since July 01, 2004. The provincial government owed Rs 680 million to the Pesco, he said, adding, Wapda has regularized its net profit payment to the NWFP.

Answering to a question, Brig Tahir said the NWFP government had certain complaints regarding billings especially about drinking water supply schemes. He clarified that the undisputed claims should be paid to the company while the disputed claims could be settled in due course of time.

He said that by Dec 31, 2004, the Pesco would become an autonomous institution and would have no concern with Wapda. It would have its own marketing distribution and budgeting system, he explained. Its affairs would be controlled by a Board of Directors.

The Pesco chief said the re-connection fee had been abolished for the convenience of the consumers. He said that for the first time, no loadshedding was done during Ramazan and the complaints pertaining to low voltage had been minimzed to a great extent due to improvement in the electricity supply.-APP