Interference of elected representatives: Pesco seeks help of federal government

ISLAMABAD: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) has sought Federal Government’s help to nab MNAs, MPAs and Nazimeen /Chairmen for illegally and forcefully entering grid stations to energize feeders of their areas.

According to a letter of CEO Pesco, Jabbar Khan, written on April 12, 2022 to Federal Government, recently, Fazal Elahi occupied 132 KV Rehman Baba Grid Station on April 2, 2022 at 1:20 PM and illegally shifted the load of 11 KV Chairman Dafter feeder Gulbahar –II Substation on 11 KV Ring road feed of Sikarpura Sub Division, both feeders emanating from 132 KV Rehman Baba Grid Station Peshawar. A total of 1000 KVA load has been shifted illegally by his private personnel and he himself occupied 132 KV Grid Station Rehman Baba for the execution of illegal shifting of load by keeping the supply of both feeders off for approximately four hours.

The concerned MPA spent 4 solid hours in 132 KV Rehman Baba Grid Station, and the action taken by the MPA to intercept Pesco electricity system may have caused a fatal accident for the staff of Pesco and consumers; the staff of Pesco were threatened & there was the possibility of damage to expensive equipment in Grid Station which is a grave violation of section 41 CFR 102-74.385 (prohibition on entering Government property, as well as, of section 448/ 457/ 462/ 188/ 506/ 148/ 149 PPC & violation of 462 M PPC, i.e., (damaging or destroying the transmission lines etc.) and the concerned MPA broke the law and created a severe law & order situation for Pesco.

As a consequence, SD0 (Opr) Sikandar Pura Sub Division in a letter No 296-99 of April 2, 2022, requested the concerned SHO of Police Station Rehman Baba Peshawar to lodge the proper FIR against MPA Fazal Elahi in violation of SOP/ Rules Regulations of Pesco hindrance/ encumbrance in the official work, as well as, stopping the Pesco line staff forcefully for regularization of illegal shifted load of 11 KV Chairman Daftar Feeder under Gul Bahar-II Sub Division.

PESCO chief spells out reasons behind ‘poor’ show

CEO Pesco maintained that it is not the first time that Grid was occupied by MPA Fazal Ellahi for enhancement of supply hours and forcefully violating the implementation of Load Management but the frequency of such events of lawbreaking is rising day by day. Such events affect the morale of Pesco employees and also have a very effect on the general public.

He maintained that Fazal Elahi MPA always forcefully energizes the high loss feeders, especially in the summer season and challenges the writ of the government and is responsible for severe law and order situations.

On March 23, 2022, MNA Nasir Khan Musazai (NA-29) who recently resigned from National Assembly, entered 132 KVA Rehman Baba Grid Station Peshawar and forcedly energized the high loss feeders namely 11 KV Surazai, 11 KV Surazai Bala & 11 KV Hazar Khwani which were off for Load Management demanding an end to load management permanently on the subject feeders effecting the line losses of Peshawar Circle.

Nasir Khan Musazai threatened the grid staff to abstain from the implementation of scheduled load management on above mentioned high loss feeders; otherwise, they will face dire consequences. AET under SS&TL Pesco Peshawar requested the concerned SHO Police Station Rehman Baba to lodge an FlR against Nasir Musazai upon intruding in the working of Government affairs. It is the normal practice for MNAs/ MPAs to enter into the Grid Stations and energize the high loss feeders forcefully challenging the writ of government direly, as well as, Pesco remains powerless to resist actions against such acts and clear intervention in the official work of field staff of Pesco.

On April 09, 2022, at 11:25 AM the mob under the leadership of Jameel PA to MPA Fazl Elahi PK 79, Sadullah, Gul Shad, Fazal-e-Rabi, Abdul Shakoor entered 132 KV Peshawar Industrial Grid Station Kohat Road and energized forcedly the outgoing high loss 11 KV feeders namely (1) 11 KV Dora Road (2) 11 KV New Dehbahder (3) 11 KV Old Dehbahder that were switched off for load shedding and threatened the grid staff of consequences if the same feeders were switched off for Load Management. SDO PESCO Dehbahader Sub-Division Peshawar requested the SHO local Police station to register the FIR against the responsible persons under interference in government duty.

“Both MNAs & MPAs are provoking hooliganism among the people to attack Pesco grids by forcefully energizing the 11 KV feeders, an illegal activity also encouraged by other elected Nazimeen/ Chairmen to switch on the feeders in Grid Stations forcefully putting the life of field staff, as well as, general public in danger which could damage the precious and costly equipment in the Grid Stations. The action of MPAs & MNAs along with the mobs they bring is obstruction of Federal Government duties and interception of Pesco electricity system which is an illegal act as per law. “Such action on the part of Chairmen/ Nazimeen and Members of assembly be brought into the knowledge of Chief Secretary KP and Inspector General police KP with the request/ direction from Federal Government to take action against MPAs/ MNAs, Chairmen/ Nazimeen and ensure stoppage of such illegal activities in future,” said CEO Pesco in his letter.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022