The simmering feud between the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government and the federal government boiled over on Wednesday after Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur took matters into his own hands by storming into a grid station in Dera Ismail Khan and flipping the switch himself, igniting a heated confrontation.
He also issued a new load-shedding schedule, limiting outages to 12 hours per day.
The chief minister was accompanied by Dera DPO Nasir Mahmood and DSP Adnan, as he visited DI Khan to resolve the ongoing issue of prolonged load shedding.
A statement posted on the K-P government’s X account declared, “No area would suffer power outages for more than 12 hours now.”
The chief minister also directed all lawmakers to visit grid stations in their respective areas to ensure the implementation of the 12-hour loadshedding schedule. Parts of the province had been facing prolonged power outages, lasting up to 22 hours a day.
Meanwhile, Gandapur communicated his concerns to Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
During their discussions, both agreed to consult and negotiate over the next two days, aiming to implement a 12-hour load-shedding schedule in the province.
They agreed to work together to clear up any misunderstandings
through mutual cooperation and understanding.
CM Gandapur assured the interior minister of the security and protection of grid stations in the province.
“We are making every effort to resolve the load-shedding issue in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as soon as possible,” Mohsin Naqvi stated. He also emphasised that protecting all federal installations is their responsibility.
‘Deadline expired’
At a press conference earlier on Wednesday, CM Gandapur voiced his frustration, stating that the federal government owed the provincial government around Rs1,600 billion.
He mentioned that the federal government had asked for time to review the power system and sought the provincial government’s support.
However, CM Gandapur said the timeline given to the Centre had expired, and his attempts to contact Leghari went unanswered. “This means you (the people) and we are free,” he said.
FIRs on Wapda’s requests
Outlining his policy for future action, the chief minister urged adherence and widespread propagation of his instructions.
“No one has to damage any Wapda asset because it is our asset and made with our tax money,” he emphasised.
The chief minister announced that there would be no loadshedding beyond 12 hours at any feeder, with lawmakers personally overseeing this.
He instructed the police not to register any cases against individuals at Wapda’s request. “This is K-P’s police. It is not bound to Wapda,” he stated, accusing Wapda of injustice and stressing the need for fair treatment.
“Imran Khan has made me the chief minister of your province, I’m the chief executive and you have to follow those instructions that I’m issuing,” Gandapur asserted.
The administration was also instructed to follow his directives, ensuring personnel were present with lawmakers at grid stations to prevent faults and limit loadshedding to 12 hours.
Gandapur lashed out at the federal government for not fulfilling its responsibilities, warranting criticism. He warned that his next step would be to curtail the national power supply from the province.
“I am also coming to Islamabad. Don’t think that I am saying all this only from my province. I will say all this in Islamabad too,” he warned.
However, K-P police decided to file cases against individuals attacking or forcibly entering Pesco installations.
The police have decided to file FIRs against those who engage in such actions.
An FIR has already been filed against local government representatives who forcibly entered a grid station in Mathra. The case, registered at Mathra police station, includes charges against Inamullah, chairman of Tehsil Mathra from PTI, and dozens of his associates for interfering in official duties.
Addressing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his press conference, Gandapur said the premier had sought the province’s support to secure a deal with the International Monetary Fund. “I first want my province’s money, otherwise, I will clearly tell the IMF that they take money in our name, tax our people,” he asserted.
He “warned” PM Shehbaz that his actions were “forcing [us] to shove your government aside.” Gandapur claimed he knew how to remove the premier from power and would take action step by step.
‘Level of tolerance crossed’
Talking to a private news channel, K-P government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said the incidents of forced entry into grid stations were due to “the nation’s frustration and anger.”
He added, “The level of tolerance has been crossed so that is why the people are taking steps to enter grid stations and forcibly restore power.”
Saif explained that this situation arose because institutions and the government were not addressing the people’s demands. “This is what happens when the institutions and the government do not listen to the people’s demands nor take any sincere action to fulfil them,” he said.
Saif criticised the federal government in a post on X for not eliminating loadshedding on Eidul Azha’s third day. “Offices, factories [and] markets are closed [and] still the illegal loadshedding continues. The patience of the people of K-P has been exhausted,” he stated.
Longstanding row
Wednesday’s events mark the latest chapter in a longstanding tug-of-war between the province and the federal government over electricity supply and loadshedding in K-P.
The prolonged power cuts and the federal government’s unpaid dues had rubbed CM Gandapur the wrong way. On May 15, he issued a stern ultimatum, giving the Centre 15 days to curb loadshedding or else he threatened to “take the bull by the horns” by seizing Pesco offices and initiating legal action against its officials.
Tensions peaked when PTI MPA Fazal Elahi led demonstrators into Peshawar’s Rehman Baba Grid Station, taking matters into their own hands to restore the electricity supply.
After months of bitter exchanges, CM Gandapur and the federal government announced on May 27 that they had patched things up, agreeing to end power cuts, settle outstanding debts, and tackle losses in the system.
CM Gandapur highlighted multiple meetings with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Leghari, outlining plans to create a system to prevent financial losses and ensure citizens settle their debts.
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