Gandapur blasts federal government for KP load shedding

PESHAWAR: The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is currently grappling with a severe electricity shortage, with Chief Minister Ali (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur blaming the federal government in a series of impassioned statements on Tuesday.

The KP CM squarely laid the blame on the federal authorities for the persistent load shedding in the province. Gandapur accused the federal government of neglecting their responsibilities and even insinuated that the ongoing power cuts were a form of “punishment” against the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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“We are cooperating with WAPDA [Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority], but the federal government’s lack of cooperation is exacerbating the crisis,” declared Gandapur.

The relationship between the provincial and federal governments has become increasingly strained due to the load shedding in the KP.

Gandapur announced plans for a second meeting with federal representatives to comprehensively address the issue of load shedding. “The federal government must correct its stance and fulfill its obligations to ensure stable power transmission,” he insisted, pledging to persist in advocacy until resolution.

Meanwhile, KP Governor Faisal Karim Khan Kundi echoed Gandapur’s concerns. However, he said that “if the problem of load shedding is not resolved by the Chief Minister, I will personally speak to the Prime Minister.”

The governor went on to state that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have endured too many hardships, including having bravely fought terrorism. He argued against further burdening them with chronic power cuts.

Kundi also urged for the abolition of taxes on the region formerly known as Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The governor called for alleviating the economic strain exacerbated by electricity shortages on the people residing in the tribal belt.

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Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser also criticised the federal government for severe power cuts during Eid, threatening protests and demanding accountability.