With temperatures rising due to climate change, power cuts have become more frequent and prolonged, sparking a wave of protests. Given that power supply is managed by the federal government, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers have been forcibly restoring electricity in several areas by storming grid stations. Gandapur himself engaged in such actions on the third day of Eid ul Adha, following his party’s example.
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In a meeting on loadshedding today, Gandapur was briefed on the latest situation regarding power cuts, recovery efforts by power distribution companies, and other energy sector issues. It was reported that with the support of the KP government, Rs.1 billion was recovered in one month, 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, many areas experienced 12 to 18 hours of loadshedding during the holidays. Since May 1, 81 protests against unannounced power cuts have occurred, with women participating in many.
Following the briefing, Gandapur emphasized that the provincial government is cooperating fully to resolve electricity issues. He expressed frustration with the federal government’s unfulfilled promises and noted that loadshedding continued despite significant recovery efforts, worsening the public’s quality of life.
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Gandapur highlighted that the increasing public outrage over illegal loadshedding is not driven by any political party or the provincial government but is a genuine public issue. He reiterated that loadshedding exceeding 12 hours is unacceptable and warned the federal government that the public’s reaction could become uncontrollable. He urged the Centre to take the issue seriously, emphasizing the province’s cooperation.