Power consumers have perturbed due to continuous unscheduled electricity loadshedding in various localities of Peshawar, particularly during sehr, and iftar timings. Faithfuls were being experienced with immense problems due to unannounced and unscheduled power outages, especially during Sehr, Iftar, and taraveeh timings.
On Saturday, dwellers of Urmar locality of Peshawar, led by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, MPA Ishtiaq Urmar, besieged the Wapda house Peshawar. The angry protesters also attacked the vehicle of Prime Minister Advisor, Engr Amir Muqam, who had come to attend a meeting at Wapda house Peshawar. Police also faced embarrassment while stopping infuriated protesters into the building of Wapda house. Later, protesters dispersed after assurance of Wapda official for uninterrupted supply of electricity to their localities.
Electricity loadshedding is being conducted for four to six hours in urban areas whereas rural areas are facing 12 to 14 hours of power outage, according to protesters. As per metrological department, heat intensity in Peshawar has increased with the temperature soaring to 42 degree centigrade whereas the moisture content in the air is recorded 25 percent.
Besides, residents also complained the power outages at the time of Sehr, iftar in Achini, Haji Banda of Hazarkhwani, and Garhi Qamar Din, Hashnagri Dalazak road, Sikandarpur, Gulbahar, Ganj gate, landi Arbab, Shahedabad, Charkhakhel, Manakro and Baragate areas and adjoining areas. Amir Muqam, PM Advisor while commenting on protest led by PTI MPA, said those claiming for change, didn't nothing for welfare of people. He strongly condemned the besieging the Wapda house.
'There was no power supply at Sehri time on Friday for hours, and if supply was restored it didn't for even ten minutes and it again trapped, said Hayat Khan a resident of Urmar. He added that the consumers connected with feeder were the worst affected because the supply remained suspended for most of time in routine. "We are facing 14 to 16 hours long unscheduled load-shedding, which is totally injustice with the people of the area, whom had given a huge piece of land free of cost, for the construction of grid station.
When contacted the Pesco spokesman, Shaukat Afzal categorically denied the carrying of hours long load-shedding against the scheduled timings, saying the Pesco is strictly following schedule of electricity load-shedding in both in rural and urban areas, according which four hour load-shedding in urban and six hour in rural areas.
Asking about public complaint regarding load-shedding during Sehri, iftar and taraveeh, he replied that power supply has been uninterrupted during sehri, iftar and taraveeh timings. Some time due to overload, tripling down system, which will take few minutes to resume supply, the spokesman said. He, however, said the Pesco has compelled to carry out maximum load shedding in those areas, where the company being faced huge line losses.