Pakistan: Enraged residents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa restore electricity after storming into grid station

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], May 26 : Angry residents of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday restored electricity by storming into the Hazar Khawani grid station, after prolonged loadshedding led to protests amid the scorching weather, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

People in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa entered the grid station after holding a protest outside its gate with heavy police deployment to deal with any potential law and order situation.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Fazal Elahi, who led the protest, said that the elders of the area will restore electricity at the grid station.

Speaking to Geo News, Elahi said that the protesters will go to all feeders and restore electricity. He said, "If our electricity is cut off, everyone's electricity will be cut off."

Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) officials said that Fazal Elahi and protesters surrounded and stormed into the Rehman Baba grid station. Pesco officials further said that the protesters forcibly switched on nine high-loss feeders including Yaka Tut, Hazar Khawani, Akhunabad and Newchamkani.

The officials said, "Losses due to power theft and non-payment of dues on these feeders are more than 80 per cent," adding that an operation will reduce the losses on these feeders, Geo News reported.

Meanwhile, the residents of Lahore also face unannounced loadshedding with some areas facing continuous power cuts for one hour every hour during the day, Geo News reported, citing a citizen.

Batapur, Manawan, Shahpur, and Shahdara and other areas have been impacted by prolonged loadshedding while unannounced loadshedding has affected Kot Lakhpat and Ferozepur Road. The demand for power is 4200 MW, however, the quota is 4000 MW, Geo News reported citing sources.

According to sources, Sabzazar grid station is facing tripping due to a blaze. Furthermore, pressure on other systems has witnessed a rise after fire erupted at a grid station.

The sources said, "Loadshedding on feeders in rural areas went on for several hours." Loadshedding has further made the life difficult for residents of Lahore due to the ongoing heatwave across Punjab and Sindh.

Earlier on May 15, women and residents of Chota Lahor tehsil of Swabi in Pakistan's Dera Ismail Khan blocked roads against prolonged power loadshedding on Wednesday, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. Women stormed the local grid station and blocked the road against "cruel" loadshedding, which lasted for over 20 hours a day.

The protesters shouted slogans against Peshawar Electric Supply Company, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, who both belong to Dera Ismail Khan, according to Dawn report. The protesting women shouted slogans against the public representatives and called for an immediate reduction in the load-shedding duration.

The women first held a protest outside the Pesco offices and later reached the grid station and blocked the road to traffic there. The protesters said political leaders made claims during the election campaign. However, they did not resolve the electricity problem faced by the people of Dera Ismail Khan after they secured victory.

The protesting women said Ali Amin Gandapur and Faisal Karim's residences received uninterrupted electricity supply from different sources. They added that they would hold such representatives accountable and would not vote for them in the next polls.

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