continues load shedding no more tolerable, Frontier Assembly, law maker to meet Raja Ashrraf within a week to evolve strategy for ending load shedding

Peshawar, October 2 =

The continue load shedding on Friday echoed frontier Assembly debate as the frontier parliamentarians, irked with hours long power breakdown, discussed the way and means to rein Wapda in order to stop the company from doing unscheduled load shedding in the province.

The parliamentarian agreed to meet minister for water and power Raja Asharraf who will be requested to come NWFP assembly, hear the parliamentarians and remove their grievances against Wapda. Senior minister Rahimdad Khan took responsibility to arrange the meeting of Raja Pervez Asharraf with the parliamentarians of NWFP during the current session of NWFP Assembly.

Acting Speaker NWFP Assembly Khushdil Khan asked senior minister Rahimdad to contact federal minister Raja Asharraf and asked him to visit NWFP Assembly along with MD PEPCO, Chairman Wapda and chief executive PESCO to hear the parliamentarians and resolve the problems being faced by the people of NWFP due to prolong load shedding in the province.

Abdul Akbar Khan, who moved an adjournment motion in the house said the absence of electricity for 18 hours badly disturbed the routine life of the people of the province who even could not perform their daily duties due to continues load shedding at night and day time.

In the absence of power, he said people could not sleep for whole night therefore they unable to go on their duties on the next day and same was case of the school going children as they could not complete their sleep and thus unable to attend schools at morning .

The mover said just passing resolutions against Wapda was not enough as the resolutions passed by NWFP Assembly were never honored at the center therefore some concrete steps would be require solving the problem.

Opposition leader Akram KhanAkram Khan Durrani said they could not face the people of their constituencies as people were irked with Wapda and Pesco and as even they could not get transformers after paying to Wapda a year ago. Mr. Durrani suggested government to tackle the issue with Wapda and if Wapda was not accepting the government request then government could use the option to withdraw security of the Wapda installation let the people deal with Wapda.

Akram Durrani suggested if government was not ready to withdraw security from Wapda installations then minister for Water and Power Raja Asharraf should be asked to visit NWFP as he never comes to this province after taking over portfolio of water and power. Along with him, Durrani said Chairman Wapda and MD PEPCO must also be called to the Assembly so the law makers could meet them and evolve the strategy how to come over the problem.

Bashir AhmadBashir Ahmad Bilour said members from NWFP sitting in National assembly had turned their eyes off and not even talks about the problems being faced by the people due to load shedding. The province, he said was producing 4500 MW electricity and consume only 1000 MW but still it faces huge load shedding which was not fair treatment with the people of the province. Bashir Bilour said Wapda must be given in control of the province which will better manage its affairs.

Minister information Mian Iftikhar said government will take every step for the sake of its people as the inhabitants of this province were in trouble due to absence of electricity. “We are ready to take the extreme step and disconnect electricity going out of the province but still we will pass a last resolution urging Wapda to stop the practice,” he suggested.

However Speaker did not accept the proposal of passing yet another resolution saying that senor minister Rahimdad will arrange a meeting of NWFP lawmakers with federal Minster Raja Ashrraf, MD PEPCO and Chairman Wapda. Rahimdad assured the house the meeting will be arranged during the coming week when assembly would be in session.