LAKKI MARWAT, Dec 8: The Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (Pesco) on Thursday shut off power supply to five villages in this area for unauthorized use of electricity. Officials at Pesco’s local office said the action was taken after several villages in Pezu sub-division were found to be involved in power theft through the so-called kunda system.

“We had no other option but to shut off their power supply,” the official said.

He informed that power supply had been disconnected to Jhangkhel, Kutikhel, Kar Badnikhel, Abdulkhel and Illawalkhel villages.

He said that residents of those villages were not willing to install meters and obtain electricity through proper means.

The official said that more than 80 per cent population of those villages were involved in power theft. He said that Pesco was facing financial losses due to pilferage.

However, the elders of these villages said it was wrong to punish whole village communities for the theft when there were only a few wrong-doers.