(Web Desk Monitoring) — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur issued a stern warning to the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government, stating that the situation could escalate if loadshedding is not reduced to a maximum of 12 hours, reported by private TV channel.
As temperatures rise across the country due to climate change, prolonged and frequent power cuts have sparked numerous protests.
Power supply, managed by the federal government, has led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers to forcefully restore electricity in several areas by storming grid stations. Gandapur, a prominent PTI leader, followed suit on the third day of Eid ul Adha, mirroring actions taken by his party’s lawmakers.
During a meeting on loadshedding, Gandapur was briefed on the latest power cut situations, the recovery efforts of power distribution companies, and other energy sector issues. It was reported that Rs1 billion was recovered in one month with the support of the KP government, and security was provided to Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) staff and facilities.
Despite promises from the distribution company to avoid power cuts during Eid ul Adha, significant loadshedding occurred, with 12 to 18 hours of outages in most areas. This led to 81 protests against unannounced loadshedding since May 1, involving many women.
Gandapur emphasized the provincial government’s full cooperation in resolving electricity issues, expressing frustration with the federal government’s unfulfilled promises and the continuation of unannounced loadshedding during Eid. He noted that even with substantial recovery, loadshedding persists, severely affecting people’s lives.
“Due to illegal loadshedding, public reaction is intensifying,” Gandapur said. “The protests are not politically motivated; they are a public issue and the response is justified.”
Gandapur reiterated that electricity loadshedding exceeding 12 hours is unacceptable and warned the Centre that public unrest could escalate. He urged the federal government to take the matter seriously, emphasizing that the province is fully cooperating.
