RAWALPINDI, April 30: The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) has disconnected electric supply to tubewells and water headworks of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB).

Power supply to street lights in some areas has also been suspended.

As many as eight tubewells and some headworks went inoperational, creating water shortage in areas like Tipu Road, Gawalmandi, Allahabad, Kamalabad, Allama Iqbal Colony and the adjoining localities.

Electricity supply was suspended due to the long-running row between the RCB and Iesco over the payment of dues. Both bodies have been making claims and counter-claims of owing millions of rupees in dues to each other.

When asked, the RCB chief executive officer, Khawaja Iftikhar Mir, said power supply of their tubewells had been disconnected without any notice.

“We have been paying them Rs50 million per month, including current bill and arrears,” he said. Iesco had not paid a penny on account of rent, property tax, line rent for Iesco buildings and installations located in the RCB jurisdiction, he claimed.

Mr Mir said the local Iesco officials were contacted for restoration of the supply, but they paid no heed. He said a plethora of requests had been made to the Wapda authorities to settle the issue, but they gave no response, and instead suspended power supply without any prior notice.

He appealed to the people not to panic as the RCB would do its best to supply water to the affected areas through bowsers.

Till the filing of this report, the RCB authorities were holding an emergency meeting to find a viable solution.

When contacted, the Iesco executive engineer, Shafi Chohan, admitted that electricity supply had been disconnected. However, he declined to give any further details, and switched off his mobile phone.

Iesco has also suspended power supply to several government departments in Rawalpindi and Islamabad for default of power dues.

The spokesman for the company said supply to Sindh House was suspended as it had outstanding dues of Rs1,121,341; Rafi Plaza G-7/1 for default of payment of Rs47,891; Northern Areas House for non-payment of Rs269,393; Masjid Usmania, G-7/2 for failing to pay arrears of Rs13,206; CDA Working Women Hostel, G-7/1 for non-payment of Rs45,864 and Rawal Dam Office for default of Rs234,845.

He said some 24 power connections of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had also been snapped for failing to pay power charges amounting to Rs3,000,000.

Similarly, 42 connections of the RCB have also been disconnected having arrears of more than Rs17 million.