PTI lawmakers demand removal of PESCO chief

Expressing resentment over power load shedding in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers on Sunday demanded that the federal government remove PESCO chief.
They also demanded an end to load shedding by Monday (today) otherwise they would hold a protest demonstration outside the WAPDA house.
“The KP chief minister would lead the PTI lawmakers and workers in the protest rally in front of WAPDA House Peshawar,” Ziaullah Afridi, special assistant to the CM, said while addressing a press conference. Flanked by other party lawmakers from Peshawar, including Javed Nasim, Ishtiaq Umar and Atif Yousaf, he said that under a well-planned conspiracy, KP was forced to face maximum electricity load shedding.
Demanding early replacement of the Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (PESCO) chief, the PTI leader said that the official was counted amongst aides of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Fazlur Rehman. He said that at the behest of Fazl, the PESCO chief was making attempts to provoke people of KP against the PTI, enabling the JUI-F and other opposition parties to win by-polls.
ON Saturday, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak also showed his resentment over load shedding. In a statement, the CM had also warned the federal government of staging a protest demonstration if WAPDA high-ups failed in addressing the issue. The CM was followed by his adviser and party lawmakers who announced to hold a protest rally on Monday (today).
The PTI leader said that there was no justification for electricity load shedding and power break down in KP as it was generating 4,800 megawatts of electricity whereas it was consuming 2,300MW. He also said after coming to power the PTI has initiated a crackdown against electricity pilferage. A PTI MPA said that he unearthed 300 illegal connections and such consumers were ready for getting legal connections. But WAPDA lacks capabilities of providing legal connections to consumers. The lawmakers said further thousands of PTI workers would accompany the CM, ministers and lawmakers in the protest.