Pressing charges: PESCO to take Farman to court over raid
Lawyers from both sides said FCR commissioner engaged in other official matters.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government’s spokesman had raided a house in Wapda colony, Peshawar, on Sunday. PHOTO: PPI/FILE
PESHAWAR:
The provincial information minister’s raid on a house in Wapda Colony was termed illegal in a resolution adopted by Peshawar Electric Supply Company’s (Pesco) Board of Directors. It claimed that the act was condemnable.
The board directed the power authority to take Farman to court over the issue. In the resolution, the board maintained that Pesco’s aim was to address the power consumers’ problems. “Federal and provincial governments are supposed to act to alleviate concerns of the public rather than weaken state-owned enterprises by pointing at individuals working in those institutions and thus scoring political points,” it stated.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government’s spokesman had raided a house in Wapda colony, Peshawar, on Sunday. The minister had journalists and policemen in tow, and alleged that Pesco officials, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tariq Sadozai, were involved in power theft.
However, Sadozai denied Farman’s claim outright, alleging that such rumours were being brewed against him in retaliation of the power company’s action against areas in the information minister’s constituency. He added that the action was taken after up to 90% of power losses were reported in the area. After the raid, Pesco wrote a letter to the provincial assembly speaker urging the house to act against Farman for infringing his judicial powers by raiding Wapda colony.
Pesco spokesperson Shaukat Afzal said the board condemned the trespassing at Tariq Sadozai and other Pesco officials’ properties and checking their billing meters illegally. According to Afzal, the board contended that by conducting the raid, Farman had misused his authority.
“The board termed Farman’s actions as a conspiracy against Sadozai’s efforts to curb the theft of electricity,” said Afzal. He added that the board has demanded the provincial government to take immediate action against those responsible for conducting the raid. While admitting that the board was awaiting a reply to the letter sent to the assembly speaker, Afzal revealed that the board of directors had also decided to take the matter up in court.
The meeting was held at Wapda House, Peshawar and was presided over by the board’s chairman Malik Muhammad Asad Khan. Other members of the board, including Tariq Sadozai, Sohail Akbar Shah, Dr Amjadullah, Lt Col (retd) Alam Zeb Khan, Syed Musawar Shah, Lt Col (retd) Jahanzeb Khan, Nasir Khan Musazai, Iftikhar Ahmed Khan, General Manager Finance Pesco Anwarul Haq Yousufzai, and Pesco secretary also attended the meeting.
Back to real issues
Tariq Sadozai also gave a comprehensive presentation on existing power issues in the region during the meeting. He informed the board that every effort was being made for reducing line losses and increasing recovery of bills.
The Pesco chief executive assured the board that steps were being taken to minimise durations of load-shedding in the province. He stressed on the need for public cooperation in terms of avoiding excessive and illegal usage of electricity, which according to him, can play a critical role in ensuring the lowest levels of load-shedding. Sadozai said that it was imperative that messages be sent out to the public, appealing to them to be conservative in their power usage.
Meanwhile, the board approved purchase of distribution transformers, and solutions to a number of other managerial and administrative issues. The board expressed its satisfaction over Sadozai’s performance as CEO of the company.
He asked the Pesco officials to appeal to power consumers to ensure maximum energy conservation and avoid illegal use of electricity. The board also approved the purchase of distribution transformers. A number of other managerial and administrative matters on the agenda were also approved.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2014.
The provincial information minister’s raid on a house in Wapda Colony was termed illegal in a resolution adopted by Peshawar Electric Supply Company’s (Pesco) Board of Directors. It claimed that the act was condemnable.
The board directed the power authority to take Farman to court over the issue. In the resolution, the board maintained that Pesco’s aim was to address the power consumers’ problems. “Federal and provincial governments are supposed to act to alleviate concerns of the public rather than weaken state-owned enterprises by pointing at individuals working in those institutions and thus scoring political points,” it stated.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government’s spokesman had raided a house in Wapda colony, Peshawar, on Sunday. The minister had journalists and policemen in tow, and alleged that Pesco officials, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tariq Sadozai, were involved in power theft.
However, Sadozai denied Farman’s claim outright, alleging that such rumours were being brewed against him in retaliation of the power company’s action against areas in the information minister’s constituency. He added that the action was taken after up to 90% of power losses were reported in the area. After the raid, Pesco wrote a letter to the provincial assembly speaker urging the house to act against Farman for infringing his judicial powers by raiding Wapda colony.
Pesco spokesperson Shaukat Afzal said the board condemned the trespassing at Tariq Sadozai and other Pesco officials’ properties and checking their billing meters illegally. According to Afzal, the board contended that by conducting the raid, Farman had misused his authority.
“The board termed Farman’s actions as a conspiracy against Sadozai’s efforts to curb the theft of electricity,” said Afzal. He added that the board has demanded the provincial government to take immediate action against those responsible for conducting the raid. While admitting that the board was awaiting a reply to the letter sent to the assembly speaker, Afzal revealed that the board of directors had also decided to take the matter up in court.
The meeting was held at Wapda House, Peshawar and was presided over by the board’s chairman Malik Muhammad Asad Khan. Other members of the board, including Tariq Sadozai, Sohail Akbar Shah, Dr Amjadullah, Lt Col (retd) Alam Zeb Khan, Syed Musawar Shah, Lt Col (retd) Jahanzeb Khan, Nasir Khan Musazai, Iftikhar Ahmed Khan, General Manager Finance Pesco Anwarul Haq Yousufzai, and Pesco secretary also attended the meeting.
Back to real issues
Tariq Sadozai also gave a comprehensive presentation on existing power issues in the region during the meeting. He informed the board that every effort was being made for reducing line losses and increasing recovery of bills.
The Pesco chief executive assured the board that steps were being taken to minimise durations of load-shedding in the province. He stressed on the need for public cooperation in terms of avoiding excessive and illegal usage of electricity, which according to him, can play a critical role in ensuring the lowest levels of load-shedding. Sadozai said that it was imperative that messages be sent out to the public, appealing to them to be conservative in their power usage.
Meanwhile, the board approved purchase of distribution transformers, and solutions to a number of other managerial and administrative issues. The board expressed its satisfaction over Sadozai’s performance as CEO of the company.
He asked the Pesco officials to appeal to power consumers to ensure maximum energy conservation and avoid illegal use of electricity. The board also approved the purchase of distribution transformers. A number of other managerial and administrative matters on the agenda were also approved.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2014.