ISLAMABAD. April 21: The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) has snapped the electricity supply of the capital district administration offices and the courts due to non-payment of Rs1.6 million bills.

The work at the offices of the district administration, and judiciary, including the offices of the assistant commissioner (rural), district health officer, three courts virtually came to a standstill. These offices remained without electricity after the supply was disconnected.

The Iesco sources said that the district administration and judiciary had not paid their electricity bills for the last ten years. They added that despite issuance of reminders time and again for the payment of the outstanding dues no heed was paid.

The sources said that when the district administration and the judiciary approached the Iesco offices for restoration of power and assured that they would pay the outstanding dues within 15 days, the power company turned down their request and said that supply would be restored after full payment of outstanding dues.

Recruitment by private security firms banned: The government has banned recruitment in the private security companies in Islamabad and asked the owners to take security clearance of guards before recruitment, sources told Dawn.

The sources said that the interior ministry has directed the Capital’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to hold a survey on all security agencies and submit a report to the ministry before May 5.

The SSP in response to the ministry directives has ordered the SHOs of all police stations of Islamabad to depute a sub-inspector who will collect complete data of the private security agencies including their names, date of establishment, validity of licence, strength of security personnel, details of weapons and their licenses and places where guards are working.

The sources said that the security clearance of the recruitment of the security guards in the private companies will be given by the assistant inspector general of Special Branch.

The sources said that the decision was taken to streamline the security agencies working, maintain the law and order and curb crime rate in the capital.