Pak minister warns of 20 hours of load shedding in Khyber

Pakistan's power minister today warned that there could be 20 hours of load shedding in certain areas of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province due to rampant power theft.
Addressing a press conference here at Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) office, Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali deplored the role of public representatives and especially MPAs of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for not curbing power theft in their respective areas.
He criticised Provincial Information Minister Shah Farman and MPA Fazal Elahi for 90 per cent line losses in their respective constituencies and said that they should have play a role for recovery of Rs 1.5 billion losses from their areas.

He said Elahi even harassed PESCO employees at gunpoint for removing direct hooks from his constituency, adding the government would take strict legal action against the persons found involved in threatening or harassing PESCO employees.
Ali called on Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan to pay attention to his government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and bring real change by taking action against those who are involved in power pilferage and victimising PESCO employees.
He warned that electricity would be disconnected in the areas where losses would cross 90 per cent.
The minister said electricity theft in the province is in full swing with line losses in several areas reaching up to 90 per cent, adding that power pilferage issue of KP has not only plagued the province but the whole country.

He said that load shedding time would be reduced in areas with lesser line losses while the areas with heavy line losses would have to face severe load shedding.