PESHAWAR, Oct 2 Treasury and opposition benches on Friday criticised Wapda for hours' long loadshedding in the province, warning that power supply could be cut to the rest of the country if the federal government failed to address the issue.

The lawmakers stressed the need for an effective policy to end loadshedding. They said they would also make efforts to get the problem of power outages and low voltage resolved.

Speaking on an adjournment motion, PPP parliamentary leader Abdul Akbar Khan said the assembly had adopted several resolutions unanimously criticising prolonged loadshedding but the problem had not been solved.

“The situation has gone from bad to worse. This time we will not waste our precious time to pass a resolution demanding the federal government stop loadshedding,” he said. Rather, he said, a committee of the treasury and opposition benches would be formed to evolve a strategy how to stop the loadshedding.

“Each and every member of the NWFP Assembly has raised voice against loadshedding but the federal government has given no importance to it,” he said, adding 12 to 18 hours loadshedding was being observed in the province.

Opposition leader Mohammad Akram Khan Durrani also supported the mover, saying before the start of Ramazan, there was prolonged loadshedding, but all of a sudden it was ended in Ramazan. He wondered how Pesco was able to ensure regular power supply during Ramazan if there was shortfall.

He said Pesco had failed to overcome line-losses and power theft in which its own officials were allegedly involved.

As per procedure, he said, MPAs in different areas had paid huge amounts to Pesco to install pylons and transformers but it was adopting delaying tactics. “We can cut power supply to Punjab if NWFP-based political parties take a unanimous decision,” he said.

Provincial Senior Minister and ANP parliamentary leader Bashir Ahmed Bilour observed that the NWFP produced cheapest electricity, 10 paisa per unit, but the federal government was selling it to the province at higher rate. “NWFP produces 4000MW electricity and its requirement is 1000MW, then why more loadshedding is being in the Frontier province than in other parts of the country,” he said.

Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain also said the option to cut electricity to Punjab could be considered.

Members Fazlullah, Wajeeh Zaman, Ghulam Mohammad and Javed Tarakai staged walk out from the assembly when the Speaker did not allow them to raise their voice against what they called unnecessary postings and transfers in the education department.

APP adds A bill for setting up a special commission seeking end to discrimination against women, besides ensuring protection of their rights and resolution of their problems, was tabled in the assembly by provincial Minister for Women Development Sitara Ayaz.

The commission will review policy programmes and projects undertaken by the provincial government for women development and other related matters.

It will also review legislation about the rights and status of women and will recommend amendments in the laws, if needed, to end discrimination against women. It will adopt measures to stop violation of rights of women and ensure social protection and provision of justice to them.

The commission will also make necessary legislation for enhancing women literacy rate and educating them about their civic responsibilities.

It will collect data of both working women and those serving their families in their houses, which will help the government frame policies.

The government will establish a special fund to meet financial requirements of the commission. After approval of the bill, the NWFP government will set up district committees to look into matters related to women.