———– Loadshedding takes place for over 20 hours in some areas
———– Citizens express concerns as extreme tempratures perists
———– People in Khyber district’s Landi Kotal storm a grid station
From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: Troubled citizens took to the streets across several parts of the country on Wednesday due to the non-availability of electricity amid extreme temperatures.
Protests have broken out in numerous cities, including Karachi and Peshawar, over the past few days as the citizens’ lives are having a hard time due to the prolonged loadshedding. Severe heat has also slapped several cities, with extreme temperatures expected in the days to come.
In Karachi, the residents of Golimar protested for more than two hours, blocking the road, which led to a severe traffic jam. However, they later dispersed, allowing the traffic to flow.
Citizens, troubled due to loadshedding, in Khyber district’s Landi Kotal, stormed a grid station. The angry protesters entered the grid station and staged a sit-in. The protestors demanded an end to load shedding, which was taking place for more than 20 hours.
In the Chilas area of Gilgit-Baltistan, protests against unannounced loadshedding were also held at several places and a shutter-down strike was observed by traders.
In Balochistan’s Naseerabad area, citizens took to the streets against 12-hour loadshedding. In Usta Muhammad, citizens protested by burning tyres and also blocked the highway.
Meanwhile, in Multan, power suppliers are observing loadshedding of four to eight hours.
Students attempting their intermediate examinations in nine districts of Sindh were also not spared as the power supply to exam centres was also being cut. In the Matiari district, loadshedding of 12-18 hours is being observed.
The maximum temperature was recorded in Karachi today at 41.5℃ and even in such extreme heat, electricity has been cut off for 10 hours in different areas.
The development came a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the authorities concerned to minimise the ongoing loadshedding in different areas through better load management, considering public relief in sizzling weather.
The prime minister, chairing a meeting on load management and power theft, reiterated that the government would strictly deal with the power thieves and that the ongoing mission against them would be taken to the logical end.
For Karachi, the sole power supplier Karachi-Electric has said that if the citizens do not pay their bills, it cannot ensure constant provision of electricity.
