ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to tighten security measures for vital electricity distribution installations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ensuring the safety of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) and Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company (Tesco) staff and property. This move follows threats made by the KP chief minister, which have recently gone viral.
On May 15, 2024, the Power Division sent a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reporting that the KP chief minister had summoned the CEO of Pesco and issued threats if load shedding was not ended or reduced in KP, particularly in Dera Ismail Khan.
The Power Division highlighted that Discos operating in KP are among the top loss-making companies, with anticipated losses of around Rs 22 billion this financial year due to transmission and distribution (T&D) losses and under-recovery.
Despite a nationwide anti-theft campaign launched in September 2023, which initially saw success in KP, the situation deteriorated during elections and the assumption of office by the current KP government. The provincial government has shown little willingness to address the increasing losses and under-recoveries, raising concerns about further financial deterioration for Pesco and Tesco.
Power Minister Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari expressed disappointment over the KP chief minister’s public statements justifying electricity theft and threatening to take over distribution infrastructure. A recent viral video shows the chief minister issuing a deadline to the federal government and Pesco, potentially inciting violent agitation.
Leghari proposed that law enforcement agencies be directed to enhance security measures for vital electricity distribution installations in KP and protect the lives and properties of Pesco and Tesco employees. The prime minister has instructed the Interior Ministry to implement these measures promptly.
Story by Mushtaq Ghumman
