Amid increasing protests against power utilities, the Peshawar Electric Supply Cooperation (Pesco) has directed the staff to remove all green number plates from its vehicles.

In a circular, the utility officials directed the staff to put the non-essential vehicles off the road to prevent likely damage by enraged protesters.

The power utility has also asked for police protection for its seven sub-divisions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the people have taken to the streets to protest against their inflated electricity bill. Pesco in its letter to Peshawar police warned of possible vandalisation of its properties.

Thousands of consumers protested the electricity price hike and burned utility bills across Pakistan.

Protests were held in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawab Shah, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Attock, Rahim Yar Khan, Gujranwala, Pakpattan, Quetta, and Peshawar. People also held demonstrations in Azad Kashmir.

In several instances, the staff of the utility companies responsible for supplying electricity were beaten up by the citizens. The K-Electric’s staff members were allegedly attacked after they tried to remove electricity meters in the Timber Market.

It is pertinent to mention that caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has summoned an emergency meeting on Sunday (today) to deliberate on the exorbitant electricity bills.

“I have called an emergency meeting at the Prime Minister’s House tomorrow [Sunday] on the issue of heavy electricity bills,” he wrote on X.

Kakar said that a briefing would be taken from the power ministry and distribution companies. Moreover, there would be consultations regarding giving maximum relief to consumers regarding electricity bills.