Restaurant Owners Demands Action On Power Outages, Unjust Fines

Faizan Hashmi Published May 06, 2025 | 07:11 PM

The Dera Restaurant Association (DRA) has called for immediate and concrete action from the authorities concerned to address their issues including severe power outages and unjust penalties imposed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA), said a press release issued here

Dera Ismail Khan, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th May, 2025) The Dera Restaurant Association (DRA) has called for immediate and concrete action from the authorities concerned to address their issues including severe power outages and unjust penalties imposed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority (KPRA), said a press release issued here.

These demands were raised during a meeting of the association which was held here at a private restaurant and attended by owners and representatives of leading restaurants across the city.

The participants voiced serious concerns over the ongoing 20-hour daily power load-shedding, which they described as "brutal and business-crippling," the press release said.

The association urged upon the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, the KP Governor, district administration, and WAPDA authorities to take necessary measures to provide them relief from the electricity crisis.

“Prolonged power outages are not only devastating our businesses but also making life unbearable for the general public,” said one participant.

The meeting also highlighted repeated harassment of restaurant owners through frequent notices and arbitrary fines by KPRA.

The members criticized the authority for failing to raise public awareness about the implementation of General Sales Tax (GST), which has led to confusion and difficulty in collecting taxes from customers.

In addition to power and tax-related issues, the meeting discussed the unavailability of natural gas, water shortages, poor drainage maintenance, and the lack of essential food items like vegetables, meat, and fruits at government-fixed prices.

At the conclusion of the meeting, it was decided to form a special committee that will engage with relevant departments and authorities to advocate for immediate and long-term solutions to these challenges, the press release said.

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