Electricity supply to agriculture consumers: Caretaker Minister Information accuses QESCO of betraying agreement with zamindars

Independent Report

QUETTA: The caretaker Provincial Minister for Information, Jan Achakzai has accused the Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) of betraying the agreement reached with the zamindars of province in presence of the provincial government regarding restoration of electricity supply to them (zamindars).
While addressing a hurriedly called press conference along with the leaders of Balochistan Zamindar Action Committee (BZAC), Abdul Rehman Bazai and others here at the Quetta Press Club on Thursday, Jan Achakzai regretfully pointed out that an agreement was reached between the QESCO and zamindars due to the efforts of provincial government for restoration of electricity supply to the farmers of province. however, the QESCO is not implementing the agreement, which is uncalled for and unjustified, adding he regretted.
He said that the interim cabinet of Balochistan had approved funds of Rs. 1 billion for payment of arrears to QESCO, out of which around Rs. 78 crore have also been sanctioned by the government.
However, the funds would be released to QESCO only when it (company) would restore the electricity to the zamindars, he made it clear.
He charged that QESCO is acting like a mafia and is violating the agreement it done.
He said that the zamindars were not being supplied due electricity to the farmers after passage of one week of the agreement.
He demanded of the QESCO and WAPDA to immediately supply electricity for at least eight hours to the agriculture consumers in the province.
If the zamindars are not supplied electricity at this juncture then they would suffer huge financial loss, he noted with concern.
The leader of BZAC Abdul Rehman Bazai on the occasion said that we had postponed our protest just because of the intervention of the provincial government and that owing to efforts of interim Minister Information Jan Achakzai.
He also regretted that QESCO is not implementing the agreement despite endeavours of the provincial government.
He announced that strong course of action would be adopted if the power is not restored to the agriculture consumers within 48 hours.