3 Pesco/WAPDA officers arrested and sent to Jail

Low voltage unscheduled load shedding 3 Pesco officers were sent to jail
By: Gul Hamaad Farooqi
CHITRAL: Due to low voltage and unscheduled load shedding in different parts of Chitral town the Consumer Court arrested 3 Pesco (Peshawar Electricity Supply Company) officers in the premises of Court territory and sent to Jail. According to Additional Session Judge Chitral M. Jamal Khan lawyers of Chitral including Qazi Sajjad Ahmad, Alam Zeb, Raza Ali, Nizam Mustafa, Sajidullah and Muhammad Azeem Baig advocates submitted an application before the Consumer Judge at District and session judge court Chitral with a plea that they pay utility bill like other parts of the country but Pesco behave them step mother. Due to low voltage so many home appliance damaged as well as Pesco staff exercising 12 to 36 hours continue load shedding in different parts of Chitral Town area. Despite the fact that Drosh Tehsil has its own Sheshi power house of SHYDO, Ayun valley is electrifying by an private contractor hydro power station, Sub division Mastuj and some parts of sub division Chitral is being supply electricity from Reshun hydro power house of SHYDO. Similarly Singor has own power house of 1 Megawatt by Wapda and 8 megawatt power is being generating at upper parts of Chitral by a non government organization through micro hydro power stations.
As well as main transmission line has been carried to Chitral from national Grid station Dir via Lawari top its voltage is very low and mostly out of order. Even people deprived from electricity in this holy month of Ramzan and diesel generators were also not operated. Sheshi and Reshun power housed has some spare power but Pesco staff reluctant to utilize them because of difference in their rates. The lawyers told this scribe that a huge number of staff has been employed at Pesco operation and local grid station but they not perform their duty honestly. Pesco staff was disconnecting links of transformers of different areas and connect them after 12 to 24 and sometime 36 hours only to save themselves from duty and hardworking. The consumer courts summons Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) Pesco Chitarl Ghulam Rashid, Executive Engineer (XEN) Chakdara Murad and in charge of grid station Dir upper Muhammad Ayub who violated court order and not solve the problem. On final hearing they could not satisfied the court and consumer Judge Muhammad Jamal Khan additional session judge ordered of their arrest under section 3/7 of consumer protection act 2005 who were arrested from the court premises in handcuff and were sent to jail. The learned court in its verdict directs them to be produced before the court on 5th August. Social and political circle of Chitral expressed their pleasure on arresting 3 officers of Pesco and one Line Man Nasir. They demanded from the federal government as well as from the supreme court of Pakistan to ban/stop free units to Wapda employees because on this pretext they use electricity of thousands of rupees by getting direct and illegal connection and pay only 5 to 45 rupees per month. It is worth to mention here that Chitral have potential of 15000 megawatt hydro power generation but no government is interest to utilize this plentiful water and overcome energy crises in the country.
G.H. Farooqi C/O Manager bank Islami Main branch Chitral phone No 0943-320737, 0943-316052, 0943-414418 , 03025989602, 03337069572, 03159698446, 03469002167
email: gulhamad@gmail.com