IESCO pays the price for CDA’s ‘mess-up’

Clumsiness of the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) contractor for the Kashmir- Highway caused severe damage, as during digging work on Kashmir-Highway, labourers damaged IESCO’s underground electric wires which resulted in a six-hour long power breakdown in nearby sectors.
The sectors affected included sectors G/10-1, G/10-2, G/10-3, G/11, etc. Angry residents did considerable damage to the Islamabad Electric Supply Company Limited’s (IESCO) complaint cell, when they attacked the IESCO office situated in sector G/10-3 in the wee hours of Tuesday.
After the suspension of power supply, some furious residents of the vicinity gathered in front of the IESCO complaint cell in sector G/10-3 and attacked the building. The IESCO employees put up some resistance, but the attackers overpowered them and broke into the building while the employees ran to save their lives. Later, the enraged residents dragged office furniture out of the building and burnt it in front of the complaint cell.
They also broke window-panes and furniture. An IESCO official, who wished not to be named, told Pakistan Today that it was not the first time that the offices of WAPDA had been attacked but the high-ups never bothered to provide increased security to their employees. He said night duty at the complaint cell was much too dangerous as the suspension of power supply caused frustration among residents, who often threatened the workers in case of further power outages, whereas the staff of the complaint cell could do nothing about it, except repair of damaged wires.
WAPDA Complaint Cell Sub Divisional Officer Mr Umair told Pakistan Today that they had registered the FIR against the unidentified persons.
He said it was the fault of the CDA’s contractor working on the Kashmir-Highway, as the labourers had cut underground electricity wires laid there during the construction work, which caused a power suspension in the nearby localities. He said it was a great injustice and the residents ought to understand the situation. He said senior officials of IESCO had visited the site and taken a serious notice of the issue.
However, IESCO Spokesman Farooq Ahmed showed his ignorance towards the matter, saying it was a minor incident which was the result of some technical faults.