Bisham residents protest against power breakdown

People blocked KKH in Bisham protesting against power breakdown. Photo by: Author

SHANGLA: Residents of Bisham tehsil blocked Karakoram Highway at Bisham chowk on Saturday protesting against massive power breakdown and National Highway Authority for not allowing installation of poles along KKH for grid station.
The protesters blocked Karakoram Highway for about four hours and observed shutter down strike, they were shouting slogans against Pesco for suspension power supply to Bisham tehsil.
The protest was called by the local traders and a rally was also carried out on the occasion in Bisham bazaar.
While addressing the protesters, speakers, Humayoun Khan, Muhammad Nasim, Guldad Khan, Muhammad Zada, Ikram Shah and others said that power supply remained disrupted for three days in the area due to which local people faced severe problems.
“We give last warning to Pesco to end unscheduled loadshiding and sending inflated bills as we are fed up with this injustices and cruelty of the Pesco has been continued with consumers for decades,” Muhammad Zada, a village nazim said.
He said, next time they would halt the 72 megawatt Khan Khwar project’s power house, situated in Bisham because they have rendered their precious lands, mini power stations and water millers for the Khan Khwar project, while its electricity enjoy by residents of other provinces.
Muhammad Nasim, claimed that hundreds of consumers applied for power meters have been awaiting for meters installation for a year, on the other hand Pesco officials registers FIRs against them which is a clear injustice.
Guldad Khan, a village nazim from Butyal said that a grid station in Shang Bisham had been completed and ready to use but NHA stopped the Pesco construction department from digging up pits for electricity poles along Karakoram highway.
“We are patriotic citizens of this country and have same rights like the other provinces citizens but unfortunately we were not provided the rights yet. NHA is asking rent for poles from Pesco which is unlawful demand,” the Nazim said.
Shujat Ali Khan, a local activist said that in 38 Celsius weather of Bisham, Pesco has suspended the power supply to the area three days ago due to unknown reasons although Bisham sub-division has done record recovery in Bisham in last month of Jun.
He said, low voltage is also a major problem due to which electric appliances damaged and can not run refrigerators which is a main need of the summer season.
Humayoun Khan, said despite several false promises of federal minister communication Murad Saeed, the issue of electric poles could not be resolved yet.
He said, it was a long standing demand of the Bisham tehsil residents because they have been suffering for decades due to low voltage and unscheduled power outage.
He said Bisham is the only place in the country where local people faced different kinds of problems and no one hear their voice.
The road was remained blocked for four hours and the bazaar was deserted due to shutter down strike.
Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Bisham, Amir Muhammad and SDO Pesco Muhammad Ali reached the protest and held negotiations with the protesters.
The AC Bisham assured the protesters that the issue of electric poles would be tackled with the concerned authorities, while repair work on the power supply line of Bisham is in progress will be fixed soon.
The Protesters on the occasion, set a deadline of July, 25 to NHA, if it did not allow Pesco to installation power supply poles they would halt Khan Khwar Power house and will switch of that for indefinite period.
The protesters dispersed peacefully, while passengers on the international route on both sides faced severe hardships in scorching weather.