Awami National Party (ANP) has warned the federal government to protest against the excessive unscheduled power outages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, ANP Central Senior Vice President, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has said people are being experienced with hours long electricity loadshedding in the holy month of Ramazan, which was completely unjust. He said his party could not accept excessive electricity outages on pretext of power theft.
He asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Mohammad Asif and Wapda chairman to immediate end the prolonged unscheduled electricity loadshedding in KP. "KP is producing electricity at low cost, which is being sold at double rates by federal government," while it was also generating surplus electricity against total consumption and demand in the entire province, Bilour said.
He warned if the federal government didn't ensure smooth supply of electricity during the holy month of Ramazan, then they would not be left with any other option, but to resort protest, which will lead by him, along with party president Haider Khan Hoti, Mian Iftikhar Hussain and rest of his party members.
Accompanied by ANP Central General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak, Haroon Bilour and others, Bilour reminded that his party had credited to empower all federating units after the unanimous passage of 18 the constitutional amendments. He added it was legitimate right to fully exploit provinces from indigenous resources in the light of the 18th constitutional amendments.
He, however, said the right of smaller federating units, is being denied by the centre, which was against spirit of the 18th constitutional amendments. He asked the federal government to not violate the sanctity of the constitution and to ensure due right to all federating units.
"We don't want to take law into own hands and assault on government installations," Bilour said. "But we have also right to protest against excessive power outages and injustice with people of the province in a peaceful manner," he added. He asked the federal government and Ministry of Water and Power to ensure maximum supply of electricity to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as compared to Punjab.
ANP leader said the federal government biased attitude towards people of KP is encouraging those people, which had come to power on name of change in the province. He blamed that the provincial government ministers, MPAs and district Nazim were involved in power theft.
"If KP government didn't cooperate with federal government, then the Wapda installations should be protected under Rangers security across the province," he asked. ANP leader criticised the incumbent provincial government had failed to construct any mega power generation project. He blamed that PTI government is re-launching hydro-power generation projects, which was initiated by previous ANP-led provincial government.
Instead of raising hollow slogans, he asked the change mongers to take practice steps for mega development projects and welfare of masses. He said if the hydro-power projects, framed by ANP led provincial government were practically executed, then the province will be self-sufficient in generation of electricity.