Jirga warns of protest over heavy power loadshedding

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Qaumi Jirga, an alliance of various political parties, civil society and traders, has expressed concern over excessive electricity load-shedding in Ramazan in the metropolis and surrounding areas.

It warned of besieging the Wapda House, Chief Minister’s and Governor’s houses if the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) failed to ensure a smooth power supply to the consumers.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting held at the residence of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader and spokesperson for the Jirga, Arbab Khizer Hayat, on Wednesday.

The Jirga members, including Awami National Party’s Alamgir Khalil, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Kashif Azam, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F’s Maulana Amanullah Haqqani, Pakistan People’s Party Ziaullah Afridi, trader community leaders Malik Meher Elahi, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Khalid Ayub and others shared views on the occasion.

They pointed out that different localities of Peshawar such as University Road, Tehkal, Gharibabad, Jehangirabad, Palosi, Malakandher, Sufaid Dheri, Abdara, Navan Kili, Pawaka, Gulberg, Mashokhel, Kohat Road, Warsak Road, etc had been facing the worst power outages for past some months and the situation had worsened now even when Ramazan had started. They said the power consumers had repeatedly approached the relevant Pesco officials to get the issue resolved but to no avail. “Arbab Khizer Hayat told the media after the meeting the prolonged power outages seemed to be a well-planned conspiracy against the People of Peshawar, adding people all over the world are given relief in Ramazan but unfortunately, it was not the situation in our country. He said the present puppet rulers had plunged not only Peshawar but other parts of the country into darkness through heavy load-shedding.

He said the government and Pesco officials should mend their ways and end power load-shedding or else otherwise the Peshawar Qaumi Jirga and the people of Peshawar would record protest by holding sit-ins in front of the Governor’s and Chief Minister’s houses and will not hesitate even to lock down the WAPDA House.