Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday assured delegations from North Waziristan and Kurram-Thall that their genuine issues, including the restoration of financial assistance for temporary displaced persons (TDPs) and problems faced by beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), would be taken up with the relevant authorities.
Delegation from North Waziristan TDPs
A delegation of North Waziristan TDPs, led by Chairman TDPs Committee Malik Rehmat Ghulam, called on the Governor at the Governor House and discussed the issues confronting displaced families, particularly the suspension of monthly financial assistance. The delegation informed the Governor that the discontinuation of financial support had created serious hardships for many affected families and urged the immediate restoration of the relief package.
Governor Kundi assured the delegation that the matter would be effectively raised with the federal government and concerned institutions to ensure early restoration of financial assistance. He said addressing the problems of the people displaced from North Waziristan was the government’s responsibility and reiterated that every possible step would be taken to safeguard their rights. He also urged the relevant authorities to expedite progress on the issue.
Delegation from Thall and Kurram
Later, another delegation from Thall and Kurram, led by Malik Shaukat Khan and Rafiullah, met the Governor and discussed public welfare issues, local development and organizational matters of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The delegation also apprised the Governor of the difficulties being faced by deserving beneficiaries of the BISP in the area.
Governor Kundi assured the delegation that he would coordinate with the relevant authorities to facilitate an early resolution of these issues. He said the Pakistan Peoples Party believed in resolving public problems and ensuring relief for the people, adding that addressing the difficulties of residents in remote areas remained among the government’s priorities. Governor also announced that a PPP workers’ convention would soon be held in district Kurram, which he would attend as the chief guest.
Meeting with PESCO and WAPDA Officials
Meanwhile, Governor Faisal Kundi in a meeting urged the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) to take effective measures to reduce prolonged electricity load shedding in the province, saying the extended outages were causing severe hardship to the public. He expressed these views during a meeting with a high level WAPDA delegation led by PESCO Chief Akhtar Hameed Khan at the Governor House.
During the meeting, the delegation briefed the Governor on steps being taken to address public concerns over excessive load shedding in Dera Ismail Khan. The WAPDA officials informed the Governor that the commissioning of Dera Grid Station-II would help resolve voltage fluctuations and frequent tripping issues in the area. They said progress on a transmission line near Yarik had been delayed due to a court stay order, adding that a project worth around Rs6 billion remained stalled because of litigation involving seven transmission towers.
The officials further informed the meeting that several feeders of the Dera Ismail Khan grid station were overloaded and that the inauguration of a new grid station would significantly improve the electricity supply situation. The meeting also discussed the inauguration of the Band Korai Grid Station in DI Khan. Matters relating to overcoming the shortage of staff in PESCO, installation and upgradation of transformers in various areas, and replacement of worn-out electricity wires also came under discussion.
Governor Kundi stressed the need for expediting these projects and ensuring improved electricity services to provide relief to consumers across the province.
