Overburdened: Police presence at Pesco outlets increased

PESHAWAR:

Police have deployed extra personnel around Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) installations this month. The police usually provide security to various Pesco outlets, but the number of deployed officers has increased nearly tenfold in the holy month of Ramazan.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a high-ranking police official, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the nation was not ready for the type of power-rationing the government had initiated. “We are providing increased security as in areas like Matani, where the grid station was blown up by militants,” he said. But demonstrations against power outages in the province are not only limited to Matani. The police official said that they were overburdened as they have been trying to protect more grid stations from attacks while also performing their normal duties.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2012.