Summary Afridi expressed strong displeasure over persistent load-shedding, delayed electricity projects and the hardships faced by consumers
PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Sunday urged the federal government to address shortcomings in its power system instead of shifting the burden onto the public.
Chairing a meeting on unannounced power outages, low voltage and other energy-related issues, Afridi expressed strong displeasure over persistent load-shedding, delayed electricity projects and the hardships faced by consumers. He directed the relevant authorities to expedite the resolution of 1,638 pending electricity-related cases.
The chief minister voiced concern over the non-supply of electricity poles, transformers and other equipment despite payments having already been made by government departments. He said delays in providing power infrastructure after receiving funds amounted to a waste of public resources and urged the relevant institutions to prioritise public interest, merit and fairness over political considerations.
Afridi warned that if procurement delays increased project costs despite the availability of funds, the additional financial burden would have to be borne by the responsible department. He added that delays in providing electricity connections were depriving citizens of essential services.
He also alleged that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued to face discrimination despite producing nearly twice the electricity required for its own needs. The province's residents, he said, were suffering from prolonged load-shedding and low voltage while the federal government had yet to fulfil its constitutional and financial obligations.
According to the chief minister, the federal government owes the province more than Rs2.2 trillion in net hydel profits. He said that although Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produces surplus natural gas for the federation, CNG stations within the province continue to face closures.
Afridi directed the Peshawar, Tribal and Hazara electric supply companies to clear all pending cases without delay. He also instructed the relevant departments to complete and operationalise ongoing electricity schemes in extremely hot areas by September, and in the remaining areas by December.
