Over 12,000 displaced families from Khyber and Bajaur agencies are living in the camp after being forced out of their homes due to military operations against extremists in the tribal areas. PHOTO: FILE
PABBI: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) on Tuesday once again disconnected power supply to thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in Jalozai Camp, Nowshera over non-payment of bills, in violation of the court’s ruling.
Sub-Division Officer (SDO) Aurangzeb Khan told The Express Tribune the camp owes the utility Rs17.5 million in unpaid bills due to which PESCO subdivision-II disconnected its supply.
“We were compelled to cut off power supply after several notices were issued to the camp in the past four months,” he said.
Khan added Pesco has launched a recovery drive across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and FATA Disaster Management which both cater to the provision of facilities to IDPs have been unable to clear the outstanding bills.
Said Baz Khan, a resident of the Jalozai Camp told The Express Tribune as a result of power suspension, water supply was also disrupted, while clinics, mother and child healthcare units and the entire camp plunged into darkness.
Over 12,000 displaced families from Khyber and Bajaur agencies are living in the camp after being forced out of their homes due to military operations against extremists in the tribal areas.
In April 2012, the Peshawar High Court took suo motu notice of the non-availability of basic necessities at the camp and directed the PDMA to ensure all facilities to the displaced people including electricity, health and education.
Pesco has suspended Jalozai Camp’s power supply several times on account of unpaid bills.
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Think on the rationale of this: Displaced people, with probably no jobs, working in deplorable conditions. How are they supposed to pay the bills. If they are unable to pay the bills the government should do a study and formally document their inability. After it has been formalized, and time frames are established for renewal of their status decleration, they can finally be categorized as war-affected, then they can enjoy under NGO donations, alms etc. It serves very less logic why PESCO did not go public with the non-payment of the bills.