PESCO's power pledge falters on Eid

Outages spoil meat, fuel anger over VIP treatment

PESHAWAR:

Promises of uninterrupted power supply in Peshawar during Eidul azha by the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) turned out to be empty words, as load shedding persisted across multiple areas of the city throughout the holidays.

PESCO had publicly announced via social media that there would be no load shedding for three days during Eid. However, residents experienced prolonged outages in several areas, including Peshawar City, Kohat Road, and rural feeders. The announcement was met with widespread criticism online, with citizens venting their frustration at both PESCO and the federal government.

Reports of meat spoiling due to power outages poured in from affected neighborhoods, while emergency response teams remained noticeably absent. Citizens continuously called complaint helplines to no avail. In Gulbela, the power shutdown led to a protest demonstration, with roads blocked for several hours.

Contrastingly, electricity supply remained relatively stable in parts of inner city and Cantonment areas. However, load shedding began on the very first afternoon of Eid, much to the dismay of residents. Many pointed out that PESCO had issued an official statement promising uninterrupted power during Eid, a commitment that was clearly violated.

In the sweltering summer heat, the frequent outages not only led to the spoilage of sacrificial meat but also disrupted the spirit of hospitality typically associated with Eid gatherings.

Despite PESCO's announcement that there would be no load shedding in any of the city's circles—including Cantt, City, and Rural—residents from areas such as Wazir Bagh, Kohat Road, Charsadda Road, Chamkani, and Doraanpur reported prolonged blackouts. These grievances quickly gained traction on social media.

Adding fuel to the fire, a letter surfaced from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim, instructing PESCO not to carry out load shedding in Dera Ismail Khan during Eid, as he would be spending the holiday in his hometown. The five-day exemption from outages in that area sparked further criticism, particularly from residents in Nowshera, Swabi, and Mardan, who experienced persistent power cuts despite public assurances to the contrary. Many accused authorities of providing VIP treatment to their own constituencies while neglecting the rest.

Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser also chimed in, condemning the 20-hour-long load shedding in Swabi during Eid as an act of political vendetta. In a video message, he accused the federal government and PESCO of deliberately depriving citizens of electricity on a joyous occasion, calling it a grave injustice.