DERA ISMAIL KHAN, (NNI): “I am telling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif the last time to give Khyber Pakhtunkhwa its due money,” Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said.
Addressing a news conference in Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday, KP chief minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sought the province’s support over the talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for loan package.
“Firstly, I want the money of the province to be paid to us, if not paid, we will inform the IMF that they are getting money in our name but don’t pay it to us,” KP CM said.
He 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.
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.
Protests erupted on the third day of Eidul Azha against rampant electricity loadshedding in major cities and towns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the PTI announcing plans to protest in the National Assembly and on the streets against the discriminatory electricity supply to the province.
Enraged citizens staged demonstrations in Peshawar, Nowshera and Mardan, where the Grand Trunk Road was blocked, triggering severe traffic jams.
Irate protesters raised slogans against unannounced power outages during Eid, causing problems for motorists and pedestrians alike. Several ambulances were seen stuck in traffic gridlocks.
Former KP chief minister Pervez Khattak’s car was also caught in a traffic snarl. Khattak urged protesters to exercise restraint.
Meanwhile, PTI leader Asad Qaiser joined a protest against power load shedding in Swabi. He criticised the federal government and announced plans to protest in the National Assembly and on the streets against the discriminatory electricity supply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In Karak, women protesters demonstrated against unannounced power cuts, blocking Shagai Road to traffic.
In a related development, MPA Fazal Elahi stormed the the Rehman Baba Grid Station, restoring power to 10 feeders. A video of this unconventional approach to power restoration went viral on social media.
In response, the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) decided to take action against MPA Fazal Elahi, his assistant Jameel and 45 others for disrupting the power distribution company’s operations.
The SDO for the Rasheed Garhi Subdivision wrote a complaint to the Rehman Baba police station, seeking the registration of an FIR against MPA Fazal Elahi and his companions, citing losses totalling Rs 2.64 million incurred by Pesco due to the incident.
Later in the day, a case was registered at the Rehman Baba police station for forcibly restoring electricity from the grid station.
According to police officials, MPA Fazal Elahi has not been named in the FIR, but his assistant Jameel and others have been included.
On the complaint from Pesco, five sections have been added to the FIR which details that approximately 30,000 units were consumed to restore electricity to different areas, costing approximately Rs 1.32 million.
Further investigation is in progress. NNI
