Citizens take to the roads in Lahore, Multan, DI Khan against prolonged and unscheduled electricity load shedding as electricity shortfall peaks at 7,000MW
As the temperature continues to rise across the country, power shortfall peaked at 7,000 megawatts causing hours’ long electricity shutdowns across the country, prompting street protests in several districts.
The power crisis surged again forcing electricity distribution companies to shut down their grid stations for up to three hours compounding power outages, sources said.
Power sector officials said that the demand suddenly rose because of a heat wave and the monsoon. The demand rose to 20,000 megawatts against the supply of 13,000 megawatt electricity in the country.
According to reports pouring in from different cities, urban areas are facing up to 16 hours of load shedding while rural areas are suffering up to 18 to 20 hours of blackouts every day.
In Lahore alone, power shortage reached 2,700 megawatts, sources said, adding that many parts of the city were without electricity during iftar.
In Lahore’s Batapur area, hundreds of protesters took to the streets all day long, smashed the windscreens of passing cars and burnt tyres in front of the local complaint centre of Lahore Electricity Supply Corporation (LESCO), compelling the electricity officials to flee their office. The protesters later ransacked the premises to vent their anger.
In Multan, a large crowd staged a protest at Sher Shah Road and a heavy police contingent was summoned to disperse the angry mob.
‘TARAWEEH PROTEST’:
An angry mob comprising women and children took to the streets against prolonged and unscheduled power outages in Bilalabad area of Dera Ismail (DI) Khan and blocked University Road. They registered their protest by offering Taraweeh on the road.
INDUSTRIES’ SHUTDOWN FEARED:
In Karachi, SITE Association of Industry Chairman Younus M Bashir expressed dismay over the inadequate supply of electricity to SITE industries.
The chairman said that more than seven-hour-long electricity load shedding has made SITE industries unviable, adding that the industry owners are being compelled to shut down their factories.
Bashir further stated that due to the reduced working hours in Ramazan and unannounced load shedding, the production of industries has declined, resulting in difficulties in meeting the export deadlines.
“It is incomprehensible why unannounced power load shedding is continuing despite the average provision of 222 million cubic feet (MMCF) gas by Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to K-Electric (KE),” said Bashir.
NO RESPITE IN SIGHT:
According to authorities, duration of scheduled and unscheduled power load shedding is unlikely to decrease until power demand declines.
According to National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), electricity shortfall in the country has reached 5,600 Megawatts.
National Power Control Center has reportedly increased the duration of power outages due to the increased load on the system. Tripping has also surged due to technical problems in the supply system of power distribution companies.
Despite the government’s tall claims, power outages continue to strike during Iftar, Sehri and Taraweeh timings.
Solving Pakistan’s energy crisis was a key campaign pledge for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the run up to the 2013 general elections.
But the daily power cuts, known as load shedding have already begun this year even though the government planned many new power generating plants and promised to resolve the financial crisis of the energy sector.
