ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to take strict action against those provincial lawmakers of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa who are involved in attacks on grid stations.

In a letter to Chairman Board of Director of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), Power Division, Deputy Secretary (D), Akbar Azam Rajar has informed that during a meeting of a ministerial committee tasked by the prime minister, held on September 3, 2024, following decisions were taken;(i) takeover of grid stations may be strictly discouraged and FIRs shall be registered against the perpetrators, without fear or favour; (ii) in case the local police is hesitant in lodging FIRs or taking further actions, the concerned officials at PESCO shall move a case to the respective Sessions Judges for registration of FIR under Section 22B of Criminal Procedure Code.

Attacks by MNAs, MPAs on grid stations caused heavy financial loss: PESCO chief

In case if still, FIR could not be registered, Peshawar High Court shall be approached and remedy be sought through an experienced legal counsel.

As a test case, the incident of grid takeover by an MPA in Peshawar and a Tehsil Nazim at Dargai, District Malakand on 2nd September 2024, may be responded to immediately, in such manner; (iii) requirement of deployment of Frontier Constabulary for protection of inner parameters of the grid stations and other PESCO assets may be sent to Power Division, so that a case is taken up with Ministry of Interior; (iv) PESCO my appoint a senior officer from its public relation wing as its spokesperson to highlight all incidents of power theft and patronage of illegal activities including grid station takeover by people; and (v) naming and shaming of perpetrators may be done by floating videos and pictures of people taking over grid stations on the social and print media.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024