Supreme Court hit with power outage

ISLAMABAD: While the nation suffers from extreme hot weather coupled with extra loadshedding, even the Supreme Court has not been spared as a power outage hit it on Monday.

The electricity supply to the top court building was suspended when a full court hearing was underway in the case lodged by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) pertaining to the reserved seats.

When the electricity went off, SIC lawyer Faisal Siddiqui exchanged remarks with Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa on the loadshedding problem.

“The power supply has also been cut off here,” the SIC lawyer said. The chief justice asked, “Why didn't electricity come from the generator?”

The television and lights were on, CJ Isa said adding, “I believe, only the air conditioners of the court room are not working”.

While scorching hot weather continues to bake various cities, the electricity distribution companies also add to the citizen’s woes by suspending power supply as long as to even 18-hours a day in some areas.

Frustrated citizens across various cities in Pakistan have repeatedly spilled their anger onto streets by protesting the lack of electricity.

Protests have broken out in big cities, including Karachi and Peshawar, for several days as the citizens are having a hard time due to the prolonged loadshedding.

In light of the conditions, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the authorities concerned to minimise the ongoing loadshedding in different areas through better load management, considering public relief in sizzling weather.

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.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Awais Leghari has stated that power outages would continue on the loss-making feeders. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Leghari said he had directed the power distribution companies (Discos) to improve their overall performance and minimise loadshedding duration.