“It’s an injustice to carry out 18-20 hour loadshedding in a province which generates three times more electricity than its requirement,” JI provincial chief Prof Mohammad Ibrahim told a meeting of the provincial executive body of the party.

The meeting discussed the protest campaign to be launched in the province from June 13 against loadshedding. The participants of the meeting condemned the Awami National Party (ANP) for what they termed its failure to get the right of the province under the head of hydel net profit. They also criticised the provincial government for its failure to start any hydel power project anywhere in the province during their four-year rule.

Addressing the meeting, Prof Ibrahim urged the government to take immediate measures for overcoming loadshedding and provide electricity to the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on subsidised rates, as per unit cost of electricity was less than one rupee.

The meeting adopted several resolutions. In one of the resolutions, serious concern was expressed over the worst lawlessness, intolerable price-hike and joblessness. The resolution stated that the coalition government of the ANP and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had failed to overcome the problems of the masses.

Another resolution asked the government to immediately stop all the military operations in the tribal areas and settled districts of the province and resolve the issue through talks. It also asked the government to quit the so-called war against terror.

The resolution further stated that the Nato supply was not in the interest of the country. They would not allow restoration of the supply route for the Nato forces in Afghanistan come what may, the resolution stated.

The resolution also condemned the non-stop drone hits, which it added was a naked attack on the national security and sovereignty. The resolution stated that the very reason of lawlessness and terrorism in the region was the presence of US troops in Afghanistan. Unless and until the US forces are withdrawn from Afghanistan, peace in the region would not be restored, the resolution mentioned.