KOHAT: Chairmen of village and neighbourhood councils and activists of social organisations deplored on Saturday that despite their repeated complaints, the deputy commissioner and executive engineer of Peshawar Electric Supply Company were not paying heed to ending unscheduled electricity loadshedding across the Kohat district.

They were speaking at a meeting held at the Town Hall chaired by Kohat city mayor Qari Sher Zaman.

The councillors informed the city mayor that government officials kept them waiting outside their offices, and when they objected or staged protests FIRs were registered against them.

On the occasion, Ustarzai village council chairman Shahid Ali said there had been no electricity in his area for last three days, and despite repeated complaints, the Pesco officials remained unmoved.

Councillor from Shahpur Imdad Khan alleged that Pesco lower staff was hand in glove with the power thieves.

Gumbat village council chairman Sajid Iqbal and Ehsan Khan of Lachi said the situation was worst in rural areas where electricity remained absent for days.

On the occasion, activists, including chairman of Sada-i-Kohat Dilwar Khan Awan, general secretary Zahid Hussain Inqilabi and chairman Sons of Kohat Shah Mehmood resented that local body members were divided on political basis, and asked them to get united for the cause of Kohat people.

Speaking on this occasion, Kohat city mayor Sher Zaman said the village council chairmen had political grievances against each other, which made them forget the people’s issues.

He alleged that former chief minister Pervez Khattak had transferred Rs9 billion oil and gas royalty funds of Kohat to Nowshera, Peshawar and Charsadda.

He quoted the Pesco officials as saying that the company required huge funds to purchase air-conditioners to keep the system from being heating, which resulted in prolonged outages. He said the Pesco officials had forwarded the demand for ACs to the relevant authorities, but to no avail.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2022