Residents in Peshawar complained of shortage of drinking water due to frequent power outages and low voltage. Some residents complained that frequent power breakdowns had caused them heavy losses and their precious electronic gadgets stopped functioning due to low voltage.

The consumers in some Peshawar localities said they had been facing 16 to 18 hours loadshedding while those in the rural areas suffered even more. “The electricity is one of the basic needs of life, but our rulers have failed to deliver,” Waseem Anwar, a resident of Peshawar Cantonment said.

Some people said the Awami National Party-led provincial government had failed to take note of the sufferings of the people caused by long duration of power outages by taking up the issue with the federal government. “I still remember the claims of the ANP leaders that they would take control of the powerhouses from Punjab and the federal government if voted to power. Earlier, they had claimed providing free electricity to the people of this province,” said Qaiser Khan.

The existing consumption of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is stated to be 2,775 megawatts while the shortfall is around 1,085. Some people in Peshawar complained that the situation started deteriorating after Brig (Retd) Tariq Sadozai took charge as chief executive of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco).

Some insiders at Pesco told The News that unexpected appointment of Brig Sadozai had shocked workers of the company and annoyed the Awami National Party (ANP) leadership. There are reports that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman played a role in making Brig (Retd) Tariq Sadozai the chief executive officer of Pesco.