Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has ordered 12-hour loadshedding on all feeders in the province, accusing Wapda officials of mistreating KP people, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Addressing a news conference in Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday after handing the schedule for 12-hour loadshedding to the grid station officials, CM Gandapur said the police will not register an FIR against the KP public on Pepco’s complaint, blaming the federal government of not fulfilling its responsibility.
Gandapur accused the federal government of stealing the mandate and neglecting its responsibilities, particularly in addressing the province's electricity and financial issues.
Gandapur said that PTI is governing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and despite repeated attempts, including a phone call after the deadline, the federal minister did not respond to the province's urgent requests on the issue of unannounced loadshedding in he province.
The KP CM accused Pepco of mistreating Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and urged residents of Dera Ismail Khan to avoid damaging Pepco's assets. He insisted that loadshedding should not exceed 12 hours on any feeder and stressed that ending loadshedding issue was the federal government's responsibility.
Gandapur mentioned that he had informed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stressing the need for provincial funds as the Centre owed Rs1,600 billion to KP.
Gandapur warned that if the national grid reduces electricity to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he would take drastic measures, including stopping the electricity supply from the province. He expressed frustration over the federal government's failure to fulfil its duties and called for the support of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in addressing these challenges.
“I am telling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif the last time to give Khyber Pakhtunkhwa its due money,” Gandapur said, adding PM Shehbaz Sharif has sought the province’s support over the talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for loan package.
The CM said “Firstly, I want the money of the province to be paid to it and if it is not paid we will inform the IMF that they are getting money in our name but not paying to us,” he maintained.
Gandapur said, “It is my warning to the prime minister that you are forcing us to push your government out of power. I know, how to expel you out of power. You could not bear it. No one could prevent us from taking our due rights,” he declared.
The KP CM said it is responsibility of the federal government to end the power loadshedding. “We will shut down the national grid if an uninterrupted power supply was not assured to us,” he warned.
“The assembly members should go to their respective grid stations personally and restore the power supply in the areas where a loadshedding of 12 hours is being implemented,” he added.
Reporter Sajid Baloch