Residents’ patience wears thin as unannounced load-shedding continues

Unannounced and intermittent load-shedding in many areas of the city continued throughout Saturday. The K-Electric (KE), however, claimed that its field teams were vigilant round the clock for timely rectification of local faults.

Residents of various areas of Karachi complained that they were suffering unannounced load-shedding and that there were no local faults. To those residents, the frequent load-shedding was beyond comprehension as the power demand in the city has already decreased due to the lockdown orders of the provincial government whereby all restaurants, parks, tea kiosks, gyms, shopping centres, markets and malls have to be closed by 6pm.

Vast area of District Korangi was without power in the wee hours of Saturday. In Korangi’s Gulshan-e-Millat, there was no power for more than two hours. Similarly, there was a major power breakdown in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block I.

Residents of North Karachi and Surjani Town also had a sleepless night as the power supply remained intermittent. “The power was supplied for hardly one hour and then there was another two-hour load-shedding,” said a resident of North Karachi Sector 11-A, Arsalan Ali. “All hotels, kiosks are closed due to the lockdown but we are stuck at home without power.”

In Karachi’s Azam Basti, residents complained of not having power for more than five hours during the early hours of Saturday. Abul Hassan Ispahani Road’s Scheme 33 also remained dark the entire night. Other areas that suffered prolonged power outages included Gulshan-e-Maymar, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Malir, Saddar, Nazimabad and Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

Several areas of Landhi plunged into darkness after 2am on Saturday. Even around the sunrise, many areas of the city were without power even though the federal ministry for power has directed the KE not to carry out load-shedding during the night hours.

A day earlier on Friday, Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman told The News that the sole power provider of the city was earlier getting 650 to 800 megawatts from the federal government and now it was getting 2,000 megawatts during the lockdown regime when the power demand had already been reduced. “Still they have resorted to load-shedding,” he said as he demanded that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) cancel the exclusivity licence of the KE.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the power utility said its field teams were vigilant round the clock for timely rectification of local faults. He added that the power supply to some parts of the University of Karachi was affected due to a technical fault, which was repaired by KE field teams which were in contact with the university’s administration.

The press statement, however, mentioned nothing about intermittent and unannounced power outages across the city.

The KE statement said that in case of any complaint, its customers can reach it round the clock at the call centre 118 or via SMS at 8119. “Queries may also be sent through KE’s social-media platforms or through the KE Live app.”