Federal government asked to improve power distribution system: Khattak warns of long march against Wapda

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has asked the Ministry of Water and Power to rectify its system. While holding the federal government responsible for massive loadshedding, over-billing and outdated power distribution system in KP, he warned that he would bring the people of the province to streets and lead long march against Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) if it did not mend it ways.
Talking to media persons in Nowshera after returning from Islamabad, the chief minister asked State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali to make thieves and looters of his ministry accountable instead of abusing Pakhtuns. He urged Ali to concentrate on his ministry, warning that Wapda's failure in bringing improvement in its system would force the people of KP to stage sit-ins and long march against it.
He said that he would himself lead that long march if the problem was mot solved. He accused Abid SherAli of deteriorating the situation further instead of pacifying the enraged people. He said that PTI-led provincial government was carrying forward the agenda of change in the province, which had ushered in a uniformed development. The Chief Minister said that they were extending full co-operation to Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco). "But it is a matter of high concern that 50 percent electricity is stolen while the remaining is wasted in line losses," he added. He said that no action was being taken against kunda mafia and power theft.
Khattak said the KP govt transferred funds to the tone of billions of rupees for bringing improvement in transmission system, installation of new transformers and prevent overloading of the system. But, he said, Wapda is short of power transformers while both Wapda authorities and federal government are hiding the facts.
He said that for arresting frauds and theft in Wapda, FIA had launched a high level investigation and its all stores had been sealed off. He said that his government had advised federal government to invest in generation of cheap electricity, which will help in overcoming the prevailing energy crisis. He said that the construction of several small and big dams including Basha and Dasu dams was the need of hour.
The KP chief minister said that injustices were being meted out to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as despite generating cheap hydel power, the federal government was levying different surcharges and they were even denied provision of power to meet their requirements. The second tragedy, the chief minister said, is the installation of old power transformers in grid stations, which are not capable to bear the additional load.
He said that he had demanded of the federal minister to correct the system, rescue the poor from over-billing and massive loadshedding. Otherwise, he said, he as chief minister of the province would bring the people of the whole province to the streets to stage long march against the stubborn policies of Wapda.
To a question as to why resignations were sought in a meeting of PTI members of National and Provincial Assemblies presided over by Imran Khan, the chief minister said that no such issue was discussed in the meeting and the meeting was about August 14 long march. He said that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had given heavy mandate to PTI and no rigging had taken place here, otherwise, their opponents would have moved to the courts.
He said that the PTI mandate was reaction to corruption, loot and plunder, nepotism, destruction of institutions and wrong policies of the previous rulers. He said that they were endeavouring to bring about a change in the system. He vowed that he would make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a model province of the country, adding that KP government will complete its tenure.