PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has again issued a warning to all government departments to mend their ways before Eidul Fitr.
“People will see what I can do after Eid if government functionaries don’t deliver,” said Mr Khattak during a press briefing here on Monday when a journalist told him that an impression was being developed that he was becoming a weak chief executive and officers did not obey his orders.
“Yes, I agree that condition of hospitals and police stations has not been improved. But I once again give chance to all departments to implement government guidelines by Eidul Fitr otherwise I will take action,” he said.
Coalition partners Sirajul Haq, Sikandar Khan Sherpao, Shahram Tarakai, ministers, speaker of provincial assembly Asad Qaisar and a corps of MPAs were also present in the press briefing.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPAs had announced protest against loadshedding for Monday and chief minister had also decided to take part in the rally.
But the protest was called off and coalition partners held meeting at Chief Minister Secretariat to discuss the issue.
Frustrated by frequent loadshedding and lackluster response of the federal government, the chief minister said that smooth supply of electricity to consumers was Wapda’s responsibility, but provincial government was deliberately dragged into the issue.
He chided Peshawar Electric Supply Company chief executive Tariq Sadozai, who was present in the press briefing, for giving conflicting statements to media about receiving share of electricity from national grid power.
Mr Khattak said that Pesco chief executive told him many times that Wapda was releasing 400 to 500 megawatts electricity, less than the share of the province from the national grid. But the company chief executive told media on Sunday that Pesco was receiving its due share from the national grid and the transmission system could bear the load.
“I will talk to your (Pesco chief) high-ups if you give confusing statement,” the chief minister warned Mr Sadozai.
However, the Pesco chief stuck to his statement and said that existing distribution network and grid stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could not bear the load if Wapda released the total share of the province from the national grid.
Mr Khattak said that before Ramazan federal government had promised that there would be no loadshedding during Iftar and Sehri. Despite that Wapda continued forced loadshedding during Ramazan which caused anger among consumers, he added.
The chief minister said that he would take up the issue at all constitutional forums including Council of Common Interest. He was of the view that if Wapda released electricity according to the agreed formula then loadshedding could be reduced to four to six hours in the province.
Mr Khattak said that Wapda did not repair transformers that also irritated people. He said that provincial government did not want clash or confrontation with the centre, but it would fight for its constitutional rights. The chief minister said that high level delegation comprising politicians would soon visit Islamabad to discuss lingering issue with the federal authorities as well as the prime minister.
On the occasion, Senior Minister Sirajul Haq said that provincial government could resolve energy crises within three years if Wapda was handed over to the province.
He said that feasibility studies of 20 sites had been completed and it required financial support from the federal government to execute work on the schemes.
BY-POLLS: The chief minister said that PTI and its three coalition partners including Jamaat-i-Islami, Qaumi Watan Party and Awami Jamhuri Ittehad Pakistan had agreed to cooperate with each other in the by-elections.
He said that PTI would support JI candidate for the provincial assembly seat in Mardan that fell vacant after MPA Imran Khan Mohmand was killed in a suicide attack.