BATTAGRAM: A jirga on Monday resented unscheduled power outages and inflated bills and warned if the issues weren’t resolved, the residents would besiege the Pesco and deputy commissioner offices here or march on Islamabad.

The ‘Roshan Battagram Jirga’ formed a committee to finalise the future course of action on the matter.

The participants included former MPA Nawabzada Wali Mohammad Khan, former tehsil nazim Niaz Khan Trand, Tehreek Inqilab Political Movement chairman Naeem Shaheen, Mahajareen Khan of the PML-N, Ghulamullah of the PTI, Anwar Baig of the Jamaat-i-Islami and local elders.

They complained that the Pesco subjected residents to power cuts for long hours “without reason” and didn’t address the issue of unscheduled loadshedding despite formal requests by notables of the area.

Demand immediate end to excessive power cuts

The participants claimed that the jirga was called to devise strategy for the resolution of the issue.

They said that the residents discussed the issues of bill arrears, illegal connections and power theft with the Pesco many times, but action on them was awaited.

The elders complained that the 2005 earthquake causes massive destruction in the district and even displaced people but the Pesco continued to issue electricity bills to the residents causing accumulation of “unjustified” arrears.

They insisted that the then prime minister, Shaukat Aziz, and power minister Amir Muqam visited Battagram and announced waiver of electricity charges for the calamity-hit district, but not only did the announcement await action but people were sent inflated power bills as well.

The participants called for an immediate end to the prolonged, unscheduled power outages and electric supply from the Allai Khwar dam, which generates 124

megawatts of electricity, saying it is the right of residents to benefit from their resources.

They said that it was unfair to subject Battagram to the excessive power cuts for as long as 72 hours despite the generation of electricity.

The jirga formed a committee of its members to finalise the future course of action on the matter and warned that the residents would besiege Pesco and DC offices or go to Islamabad to stage a sit-in outside Parliament House to claim rights.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2023