During a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the federal capital on Tuesday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Chief Minister (CM) Pervez Khattak demanded the replacement of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCo) chief Tariq Sadozai.
The KPK government has been protesting against prolonged power outages and had also earlier stated that Sadozai was the real problem-maker in the province.
Khattak also complained against the attitude of Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali. The latter had earlier accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government in KPK of protecting electricity thieves, taking PESCo staff hostage for ransom and “provincialising” the national energy challenge.
Meanwhile, matters relating to terrorism and negotiations with the banned militant organisation Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were also discussed in the meeting as well as other regional issues.
Separately, the blockade of NATO supplies to Afghanistan via KPK was also deliberated upon.
Earlier on Sunday, the sour working relationship between the KP government and the PESCo got further bitter after KP Information Minister Shah Farman raided the company chief’s residence, accusing him of stealing electricity through illegal connections taken directly from the power distribution line.