The Peshawar Electrical Provide Firm (Pesco) sought a primary data report (FIR) in opposition to PTI MPA Fazal Elahi on Saturday after he allegedly led protesters inside Peshawar’s Rehman Baba Grid Station and forcibly activated feeders.
An announcement from Pesco mentioned Elahi surrounded the grid station with the protesters and later entered it to “forcibly” activate 9 feeders thought of “excessive loss feeders” with losses on them on account of electrical energy theft and non-payment of dues over 80 per cent.
It added {that a} heavy police contingent was additionally current on the scene.
“Operation is happening to scale back the losses on the talked about feeders by Pesco,” the assertion mentioned.
Elahi earlier mentioned whereas addressing the gang, “We are going to proceed to protest outdoors the grid station until the ability is restored.” He additional warned that the demonstrators would take management of the grid station if their calls for weren’t met.
“If the matter isn’t resolved right here, we’ll shut down Sheikh Muhammadi Grid station,” he threatened. “We are going to shut the ability there and minimize off the electrical energy provide to the entire space.”
The MPA mentioned the protesters have been “demanding their rights” and urged PTI employees to “drag their MPAs in entrance of grid stations”.
The protest got here to an finish after the demonstrators acquired assurances that Pesco would cut back extended energy cuts. Elahi introduced the top of the rally after negotiations between the demonstrators, Assistant Commissioner Haroon Saleem and Pesco government engineer Alam Zeb proved profitable.
A Daybreak.com correspondent current on the negotiations mentioned Zeb assured the protesters that loadshedding wouldn’t exceed 10 hours and that feeders within the space can be equipped with ample energy.
As soon as the negotiations have been finalised, Elahi introduced the top of the rally and protesters dispersed. Whereas negotiating with the Peshawar Electrical Provide Firm officers, Elahi promised to take motion in opposition to energy theft. “We are going to eradicate energy theft from the neighbourhood,” he vowed.
Elahi additionally mentioned that he stood with the Water and Energy Improvement Authority, which he mentioned was “short-staffed proper now”.
Nonetheless, the Pesco government engineer later submitted a grievance, a replica of which is obtainable with Daybreak.com, to the Rehman Baba station home officer in search of an FIR in opposition to the PTI MPA.
The grievance mentioned that round 9am a “mob of just about 400-450 individuals” entered the grid station led by Elahi and forcefully restored the availability of the next feeders: Sorazai, Sorazai Bala, New Chamkani, Yaka toot, New Hazar Khani and Qalandar Baba.
The grievance added that the six feeders have been saved lively from 10am to 1pm which brought about a “heavy loss to Pesco as all feeders are sick and faulty”.
“It’s additional added that in the course of the above interval of time, roughly 70,000 items (which comes out to Rs3.64 million loss to Pesco in cash) have been consumed as per grid-provided knowledge, which was brought about on account of illegal act of above MPA alongside together with his supporters.
“In gentle of the above, it’s requested to lodge correct FIR in opposition to the talked about nominee as per the legislation of presidency of Pakistan, in intervening in official duties of Peco and operational actions, difficult the writ of presidency of Pakistan, loss sustained to authorities belongings and different related clauses that relate to this problem,” the grievance concluded.
Daybreak.com has reached out to MPA Elahi and the Pesco government engineer for feedback after this growth.
In September final yr, ministers of the caretaker authorities, whereas asserting a crackdown in opposition to electrical energy theft, revealed that the losses of energy distribution firms in Peshawar, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Quetta and Azad Jammu and Kashmir have been as excessive as 60pc.