Another PTI MNA forcibly restores power supply

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers continue to make trouble for the electricity supply companies under the Centre’s authority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as another PTI MNA on Saturday night barged into a South Waziristan grid station and forcibly restored electricity supply to different areas.

A rift is going on between the province and the federal government as KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has allowed lawmakers to use force to restore electricity supply to feeders facing more than 12 hours of loadshedding.

Except for K-Electric, which was privatised in 2005, all the power distribution companies are owned by the Government of Pakistan, as the federal government deals with the power supply matter.

The Tribal Areas Electricity Supply Company (TESCO) is responsible for supplying electricity in tribal areas, including North and South Waziristan, whereas Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) supplies power to the rest of the province.

Gandapur Friday warned the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government that things could get out of hand if it does not reduce loadshedding to a maximum of 12 hours in his province. Following the footsteps of his party’s lawmakers, the KP CM himself restored the electricity supply on the third day of Eidul Azha.

With temperatures rising across the country as climate change shows its effects, power cuts have become frequent and longer in some areas, leading to back-to-back protests.

After storming the Jandola grid station with his supporters a day earlier, MNA Zubair Khan Wazir announced his own loadshedding schedule.

“Electricity supply to FR Jandola and Upper Waziristan will continue for 12 hours and remain shut for 12 other hours,” the legislator said. Wazir said his workers would stay at the grid station to switch on and off the power supply.