Prolonged power cuts pile misery on residents

The residents of Wali Abad, Abdara, and Pawaka, located near the University Town of Peshawar, find themselves embroiled in a relentless battle against an ongoing power crisis. Authorities have failed to address their concerns, leaving the community in a state of turmoil.

Exceeding the limits of endurance, the duration of load shedding has reached an astonishing 16 hours, causing immense distress among the affected population.

Particularly during the night, when a surge of illicit load shedding occurs, the consequences are dire. On the one hand, the attendance of schoolchildren suffers, as they struggle to cope with disrupted education. On the other hand, the working professionals in these areas find it nearly impossible to reach their offices on time, jeopardising their livelihoods.

According to residents, Wali Abad, Abdara, and Pawaka experience a staggering eight-hour power outage almost every night, plunging the lives of the local community into darkness and chaos. This untenable situation has persisted for several weeks, with no signs of respite.

Frustrated by the lack of action from the authorities, the residents attempted to establish contact, seeking a resolution to the worsening crisis. However, all their efforts proved futile, as their pleas fell on deaf ears. Yesterday, a delegation representing the affected communities, led by Chairman Alimgir Afridi of Wali Abad, Chairman Zahid Khalil of Abdara, and Chairman Zahid Deen Bacha of Pawaka, met with key officials. Unfortunately, their meeting yielded no satisfactory response. Instead, the load shedding was intensified, as the authorities connected the area to the billing recovery system, a responsibility exclusively assigned to the WAPDA authorities.

The residents have made a direct appeal to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor, the chief minister, and the WAPDA authorities to take urgent action and resolve the escalating crisis without delay.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2023.