Plea made to include Kohistan in Hazesco

MANSEHRA: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader from Upper Kohistan, Abdul Sattar Khan, on Monday urged the federal government to include the Kohistan region in the Hazara Electricity Supply Company (Hazesco).

“People from all three Kohistan districts have always demanded the government to resolve their issues with the Water and Power Development Authority to ensure the smooth execution of energy projects in the region,” he said while speaking to the media persons.

He said a delegation from Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, and Kolai-Palas led by him had held talks with Hazesco and informed them about the problems faced by residents.“The government should incorporate our region into Hazesco’s jurisdiction, as it was mistakenly left out,” he said.

The PMNL leader stressed the need for the government to honour agreements reached with locals following the devastating flash floods in the region in 2022.“We demand the reconstruction of all roads that Wapda committed to rebuilding through agreements signed with the locals, including one signed by the Wapda chairman,” he said.

The former lawmaker also stressed the need to resolve hurdles in laying 132kV transmission lines from the Dasu hydropower project to the national grid and 111kV lines across the four tehsils under the affected people’s wishes.

“We urge the government to allocate 10 percent of the royalties from various energy projects, including Dasu, Diamer-Basha, and Suki Kinari, for the welfare of the people in Hazara Division,” he said.He called on Wapda to honour its agreements with the people of Kohistan from 2011 and 2016, as well as supply the promised 10MW of electricity, as announced by the Prime Minister in 2022.