CM Gandapur raids DI grid station, restores power as load-shedding dispute escalates – M Haris

• CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur issues his own load-shedding schedule.
• Fixes power outage duration at 12 hours to facilitate consumers.
• Asks lawmakers to visit grid stations to ensure compliance.

The power load-shedding dispute in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has reached a critical point, propelling Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to personally intervene and restore the power supply on top of issuing his power outage schedule, Geo News reported on Wednesday.

In a decisive move to address the issue, Gandapur visited the Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan) grid station to oversee the restoration of electricity.

On the occasion, CM Gandapur fixed the load-shedding duration at 12 hours.

“No area will face load shedding beyond 12 hours. Assembly members should visit grid stations in their respective areas to ensure compliance with the load shedding schedule,” he said.

On the other hand, Fazal Elahi, a member of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), forcefully restored power in his area by entering the Rehman Baba grid station in Peshawar. 

The police have registered an FIR regarding this incident but did not name MPA Fazal Elahi in the case.

Officials from Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) reported that MPA Elahi forcibly restored power to ten feeders with high line losses at 11 PM, causing a financial loss of Rs2.64 million to PESCO. 

According to PESCO officials, these feeders have since been shut down again. The power company officials noted that Elahi’s constituency was served by feeders with high losses, leading to 16-hour load shedding in those areas.

PESCO further clarified that in KP’s rural areas with high line losses, 16-hour load shedding was being implemented. However, in areas with no losses, no load shedding is being conducted, they added.

This incident came on the heels of the viral video of MPA Fazal Elahi and his companions lying on cots within the Rehman Baba grid station, after forcibly restoring power to ten feeders.