Mohmand Agency without electricity, water
Major parts of the grid have been repaired and power supply will be resumed after technical testing
As per TESCO official, major parts of the grid have been repaired and power supply will be resumed after technical testing. PHOTO: fb.com/Mohmand-Press-Club
SHABQADAR/JAMRUD:
Residents of Mohmand Agency have been facing power outages and water shortages over the past two weeks. Separately, locals in Jamrud have taken to the streets over prolonged load-shedding.
In Mohmand, the main power grid was burnt two weeks ago. Although Tribal Electric Supply Company (Tesco) officials made repeated assurances that it would be repaired within a week, the agency remains without electricity. As per Tesco official, major parts of the grid have been repaired and power supply will be resumed after technical testing. However, these false hopes have done little to pull the agency out of darkness.
As if the blackout was not enough to make lives of residents miserable, electric pumps that and supply the agency with water have become non-operational, forcing people to drink and share hazardous rainwater stored in ponds with animals.
Protests in Jamrud
Member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and locals of Ghandai, Jamrud held a demonstration on Pak-Afghan Highway against prolonged load-shedding. As per locals, 22 hours of load-shedding in the tehsil have brought life to a standstill. PTI representative Taj Rehman told The Express Tribune, “Due to prolonged outages, we do not even have clean drinking water and women are forced to go to far-flung areas to fetch it.”
Warning bells
Inayat Kalay Bazaar, second largest market of Bajaur Agency, remained closed for 12 days following killing of an FC man by unidentified men. No action has yet been taken even though several jirgas have been held to reopen the bazaar.
Local trade union leaders Haji Sher Bahadar and Haji Sher Muhammad threatened that if the administration failed to allow markets to resume business from next week, they will close all bazaars in the agency.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2016.
Residents of Mohmand Agency have been facing power outages and water shortages over the past two weeks. Separately, locals in Jamrud have taken to the streets over prolonged load-shedding.
In Mohmand, the main power grid was burnt two weeks ago. Although Tribal Electric Supply Company (Tesco) officials made repeated assurances that it would be repaired within a week, the agency remains without electricity. As per Tesco official, major parts of the grid have been repaired and power supply will be resumed after technical testing. However, these false hopes have done little to pull the agency out of darkness.
As if the blackout was not enough to make lives of residents miserable, electric pumps that and supply the agency with water have become non-operational, forcing people to drink and share hazardous rainwater stored in ponds with animals.
Protests in Jamrud
Member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and locals of Ghandai, Jamrud held a demonstration on Pak-Afghan Highway against prolonged load-shedding. As per locals, 22 hours of load-shedding in the tehsil have brought life to a standstill. PTI representative Taj Rehman told The Express Tribune, “Due to prolonged outages, we do not even have clean drinking water and women are forced to go to far-flung areas to fetch it.”
Warning bells
Inayat Kalay Bazaar, second largest market of Bajaur Agency, remained closed for 12 days following killing of an FC man by unidentified men. No action has yet been taken even though several jirgas have been held to reopen the bazaar.
Local trade union leaders Haji Sher Bahadar and Haji Sher Muhammad threatened that if the administration failed to allow markets to resume business from next week, they will close all bazaars in the agency.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2016.