The residents of Basti Sawan Near new Zahir Pir interchange in Pakistan have been facing an uninterrupted power outage for over 9 days. When they complained, the lineman demanded a bribe of 50,000 rupees to restore power. They reported this to local electricity officials, but the response has been inadequate. Officials then threatened and harassed the residents for complaining. The letter requests high-level intervention to investigate corruption, ensure power is reliably restored, protect residents, and establish a transparent complaint system.
The residents of Basti Sawan Near new Zahir Pir interchange in Pakistan have been facing an uninterrupted power outage for over 9 days. When they complained, the lineman demanded a bribe of 50,000 rupees to restore power. They reported this to local electricity officials, but the response has been inadequate. Officials then threatened and harassed the residents for complaining. The letter requests high-level intervention to investigate corruption, ensure power is reliably restored, protect residents, and establish a transparent complaint system.
The residents of Basti Sawan Near new Zahir Pir interchange in Pakistan have been facing an uninterrupted power outage for over 9 days. When they complained, the lineman demanded a bribe of 50,000 rupees to restore power. They reported this to local electricity officials, but the response has been inadequate. Officials then threatened and harassed the residents for complaining. The letter requests high-level intervention to investigate corruption, ensure power is reliably restored, protect residents, and establish a transparent complaint system.
The residents of Basti Sawan Near new Zahir Pir interchange in Pakistan have been facing an uninterrupted power outage for over 9 days. When they complained, the lineman demanded a bribe of 50,000 rupees to restore power. They reported this to local electricity officials, but the response has been inadequate. Officials then threatened and harassed the residents for complaining. The letter requests high-level intervention to investigate corruption, ensure power is reliably restored, protect residents, and establish a transparent complaint system.
The Honourable President of Pakistan, The Honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan, The Honourable Minister for Energy Power of Pakistan, The Honourable Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan, The Honourable Dy. Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan, The Honourable Chairman Senate of Pakistan, The Honourable Dy. Chairman Senate of Pakistan, The Honourable Secretary Cabinet of Pakistan, The Honourable Secretary National Assembly of Pakistan, The Honourable Secretary Ministry of Energy of Pakistan, The Honourable Federal Ombudsman of Pakistan, The Honourable Secretary Ombudsman of Pakistan, The Honourable Chairman NEPRA of Pakistan, The Honourable Registrar NEPRA of Pakistan, The Honorable CEO of MEPCO Multan, The Honorable Director Operation of MEPCO Multan, The Honorable all respectable higher officials of MEPCO, The Honorable Journalist of all news & media Channels, The Honorable Amnesty International Asia,
Subject: Urgent Request for Assistance Regarding Prolonged Power Outage and Harassment by MEPCO Officials Zahir Pir.
Respected Sir,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to bring to your attention a pressing issue that has been plaguing our locality for the past nine days. We, the residents of Basti Sawan Near new Zahir Pir interchange, have been facing an uninterrupted power outage since 15th May 2023, which has severely disrupted our daily lives and caused significant hardships to our community.
We have diligently registered multiple complaints regarding this matter through the official channels, as evidenced by the ticket numbers 23051915000455 and 23051815003707. Our area's lineman, upon their visit, shockingly demanded a bribe of Rs. 50,000 to rectify the issue promptly and restore the electricity supply. Disturbed by this unlawful demand, we refused to comply and decided to report the incident to the relevant authorities.
On 18th May 2023, we promptly reported the bribery incident to Miss Kausar Abbas Shah, the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Zahir Pir, via her cell phone number 03028296337. Additionally, we reached out to Mr. Iqbal Hussain Bhutto, the Xen Ops Khanpur, on his cell phone number 03028296290, Mr. Muhammad Shahzad Raees, the S.E Op Mepco R.Y Khan, on his cell phone number 0302-8296251, Mr. Muhammad Shahnawaz Khan on his cell phone number 03028296253, and Mr. Aman Ullah Kashif on his cell phone number 0302-8296263 to report the matter and seek their intervention.
To our disappointment, despite our efforts to escalate the issue, the response from the concerned authorities has been inadequate. We even resorted to social media platforms and approached the MEPCOCircle Rahim Yar Khan via Twitter (@Mepcorykhan) on 18th May 2023. They acknowledged the problem, stating that there were pole and conductor issues in Basti Burran and Basti Abdulqadir, which are part of the same feeder as our area, Basti Sawan. They assured us that the supply would be restored by 19th May 2023, but the power has not been reinstated until 22nd May 2023, 5:00 PM.
Unfortunately, when the power supply was finally restored at 5:00 PM on 22nd May 2023, it was abruptly cut off after a few minutes. Later, we were informed by our family members that six unidentified individuals came to our houses and informed them that the main cable had been deliberately disconnected. They conveyed a message, supposedly from Miss Kausar, expressing her anger and warning us not to complain to any higher authorities. Shockingly, they claimed that neither senior officials, institutions, ministers, magistrates, judges, advisors of NEPRA or Mohtasib, nor even your esteemed self or other prominent figures could take any action against Miss Kausar or her team.
Given this dire situation, we are compelled to reach out to you, the highest authority in our beloved nation, and seek your immediate intervention. We implore you, Honorable Prime Minister, Honorable President, Honorable Chief Justice of Supreme Court as well as high court, Honorable minister and honorable others mentioned above to take swift and decisive action against those responsible for the prolonged power outage, illegal activities, and harassment by the electricity department officials, including Miss Kausar Abbas Shah.
We humbly request the following:
Conduct a thorough investigation into the illegal activities and harassment by the electricity department officials, particularly Miss Kausar Abbas Shah, SDO Zahir Pir, and her team. Ensure that all those involved are held accountable for their actions.
Direct the relevant authorities, such as the Ministry of Energy, Water and Power, and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), to oversee the resolution of the power supply issue in our area without any further delay. This should include repairing the damaged poles and conductors and restoring a reliable and uninterrupted power supply to our community.
Establish a transparent and efficient complaint management system to address
grievances related to power outages, corruption, and harassment by electricity department officials. This will help ensure that such incidents are promptly investigated and appropriate actions are taken to protect the rights and interests of the citizens.
Strengthen the implementation of existing laws and regulations to prevent and
combat corruption within the electricity department. This should include stringent measures to identify and punish those involved in bribery, extortion, and other illegal activities.
Improve the overall infrastructure and maintenance of the power distribution
network in our area to prevent future outages and ensure a consistent and reliable power supply to the residents.
Provide necessary protection and support to the affected residents who have been subjected to harassment and threats due to their complaints against the electricity department officials. Ensuring their safety and security is of utmost importance.
We, the residents of Basti Sawan Pahore, have always placed our trust in your leadership and believe that you will take immediate action to address this grave issue. We hope for a just resolution and an end to the hardships faced by our community. Your intervention will not only restore faith in the government but also uphold the principles of justice and accountability in our beloved nation.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we eagerly await your prompt response and action.
Yours sincerely,
Rahim Buksh S/o Jam Bux
Basti Swan Pahore, Mouza Mian Wali, Zahir Pir, Tehsil Khan Pur, District Rahim Yar Khan, Feeder mentioned on bill is Chachran Sharif instead of Fatehpurkamal. Consumer ID:1154834902
