Helplessness: Pesco decries MPA’s intrusion in supply management

Fazal Elahi says he asks company for meters but to no avail.

PESHAWAR: Relations between the provincial government and Peshawar Electric Supply Company are likely to turn sour in the future as employees have expressed annoyance over some MPAs who keep interfering with their work.

The employees union of Pesco have complained against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Fazal Elahi who not only interferes in their work but also tortures staffers and forces them to switch on feeders during load-shedding hours.

“We are sick of  Elahi’s hooliganism,” general secretary of Pesco Workers Union Mustajab Khan told The Express Tribune. “He comes to us with police officers and forces us to restore power supply to his constituency.”

Mustajab added that a week ago Elahi forced them to transfer supply of Hazarkhwani subdivision from Rahman Baba grid station to the city grid station.



“Rahman Baba grid station suffers considerable losses,” he said. “As a result, areas which receive electricity from the station face longer hours of load-shedding.”

According to the general secretary, Elahi switches on closed feeders with the help of private technicians from his area.

“The chief minister, governor and the chief justice of Pakistan should stop Elahi,” he said. “If nothing is done, we will have no choice but to go on strike.”

Feeling helpless

A Pesco official told The Express Tribune Elahi visited the grid station on Friday evening along with a superintendent of police and eight gunmen and 200 people from Hazarkhwani.

“They switched on the supply on their own,” he said. “We had no choice but to complain to the provincial government.”He added the police are giving them more trouble.

On the flipside

When contacted, Elahi said he asked Pesco to install electric meters in 20,000 houses in his constituency so they obtain power through legal means. Furthermore, he had requested for the bifurcation of overloaded feeders and replacement of obsolete transformers.

“I strongly urge Pesco to install meters in the houses in my area,” he said. “I will treat Pesco officials in a hospitable manner when they come to install the meters.”



However, he said he would not let anyone arrest his people for using direct hooks.

“Police and Pesco workers take thousands of rupees in bribe from our people for power theft,” he added.

Vicious cycle

However, Pesco Spokesperson Shaukat Afzal said meters which are installed in most houses in the constituency have been removed by residents so they do not have to pay bills. Nevertheless, Afzal said he would be happy to include the residents within Pesco’s billing network.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2015.