Peshawar, Pakistan: The leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) again took over national power grids in KPK by force, and cases were registered against unknown persons although PTI members of parliament not only accepted the responsibility rather released photos and footage of their ‘action against the federation of Pakistan’.
Since the State machinery has practically bowed down to PTI leadership therefore the State of Pakistan was shy to even name culprits in the FIRs registered against those who took over the property of the Federal government—the power grids and operated them illegally. Such actions are examples that in Pakistan anybody can snub the State and States bows down if someone has an appropriate number of attackers— Jhatha of people. The State has been bowing down for a long in front of mobs and this practice has been used as a political tool by PTI for almost 10 years—since the first Dharna (sit-in) in front of Parliament and attacks on the PTV building as well as on Parliament building. Even those who attacked military installations and monuments of martyrs are not only scot-free rather they have become members of the parliament—thanks to the justice system of Pakistan that has become a Panchait kind of justice institution where Panchait always accepts the version of groups those who are bigger in number and there is no doubt that the mob justice has taken over the justice system of Pakistan indeed. PTI gained popularity through spreading anarchy in the country and this kind of operation is still helping PTI to further snub the State of Pakistan.
PTI uses social media and people like Gibran Ilyas sitting in the United States take instructions from their foreign masters and on the ground people like Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa execute acts of anarchy.
CM KPK has been challenging the State writ since he took over the charge and he once again by creating a narrative of ‘unannounced load shedding’ in the province is raiding on electricity power stations and issuing instructions to the district heads of Pesco and Tesco, including the Deputy Commissioner KPK, to end the load-shedding period. In the recent past, CM Ali Amin Gandapur sent threatening messages to the federal government and announced that he would take over the control of the grid station himself, saying that PTI would take over the operations of Power Supply Company (PESCO) and would use the “button” to turn the power on and off. That is why now he is doing this along with his members of the provincial Assembly of KPK.
On the other hand, the Federal government is responding to his actions as a duck, waiting for the next shot at its head. Interestingly, KPK power supply companies like Tesco and Pesco have failed to collect electricity bills from people because PTI told people not to pay bills to the Federal Government. According to available data, an amount of Rs 335 billion is due in bill payment by February 2024. Instead of stopping the ongoing power theft in the province, the Chief Minister is openly threatening the Federal government and virtually controlling grid stations.
It is worth noting here that if the power deficit continues to increase in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the power crisis in the province will intensify soon. According to the fiscal deficit in the power sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2023-24, Pesco and Tesco used 13.1 bl units, out of which a deficit of 124 billion was recorded. As of February 2024, Pesco’s tax liability is 246 billion while Tesco’s is 89 billion. The five major cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar 30.1 billion, Mardan 10.8 billion, DI Khan 10.7 billion, Nowshera 8.7 billion, while Charsadda has a deficit 8.4 billion.
The question arises as to what steps the provincial government has taken in this regard, keeping in mind the above deficit of electricity theft and losses. If the loss of electricity theft is not met, then from where will the salaries and machinery expenses of Pesco and Tesco employees be met?
The question here is that the prices cannot be determined based on the production of the province. If we talk about the Tarbila Dam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is calling to reduce the price of electricity on this basis, it is beyond comprehension. Then, should the production price of rice and wheat, which are cultivated in large numbers in Punjab, be reduced compared to other provinces?
It does not behoove a person holding the position of Chief Minister to show irresponsibility instead of focusing on the problems of the province and the people and from attacking the state institutions to trying to create differences between the province and the federation. During the 11-year rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the financial irregularities at the administrative level in the province and the lack of provision of resources to the people of the province are in front of everyone. What is being done is that which has been the domain of a particular political party.
