Protesters attack Adiala complaint office over prolonged power breakdown

Rawalpindi: A large number of people during a violent protest against prolonged power breakdown attacked the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) Adiala complaint office on Friday night. The concerned Iesco staff ran away from the scene presented excuse that there was a major fault in 502 work shop grid station in this regard.

The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) official spokesman Raja Nazir told ‘The News’ that there was a major fault in 502 Workshop grid station as concerned staff including SDO was busy to rectify fault to resume electricity supply. “Electricity supply in some of localities has been restored but majority of areas are still deprived off light,” he admitted. We are trying to rectify the fault and restore electricity supply in all affected localities, he hoped.

The power supply of Defence Road, Saleha Street, Munawar Colony, Usama Street, Hill View Lane, Samarzar, Madina Town, Gulshanabad, Jarai, Kalyal, Dhoke Juma, Al-Mumtaz Colony, Askari-7, Askari-14 and several other adjacent localities was suspended on Friday at 9 p.m. after a transformer went out of order. It took five to six hours to repair the damaged transformer and power supply from 502 Workshop grid station which irritated residents of the area. The helpless residents tried to contact high-ups but nobody was present to listen to them, as all telephone numbers were continuously busy on the occasion.

Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Adiala Muhammad Ali said that he was present in 502 Workshop grid station trying to rectify the fault. Electricity supply of all areas will be restored after rectification of major fault,” he claimed.

Subsequently, more than 1,000 angry residents of Defence Road, Saleha Street, Usama Street, Munawar Colony, Hill View Lane, Samarzar and several other localities at Adiala Road staged a protest against Iesco officials on Friday night.

Shouting slogans against officials, they attacked the Iesco’s complaint office. However, the Iesco officials and Line Superintendent escaped from the scene to avoid angry mob. The protesters also set tyres on fire and blocked the road, causing a traffic jam. The angry protesters staged a sit-in in front of Adiala complaint office till restoration of electricity supply.