Unannounced load-shedding leaves Karachi citizens powerless
June 05, 2021
- Power outages continue in Karachi, citizens worried
- Consumers say power is cut off under the guise of repairs and technical faults.
- K-Electric denies reports of unannounced load-shedding, says demand and supply has improved.
KARACHI: Unannounced power cuts are getting worse day by day and worrying citizens in Karachi, with load-shedding now extending to six hours even in some exempted areas.
Power was cut off for up to 12 hours as well in different parts of the city. Due to this and the extreme heat, citizens of several areas also had to face a water shortage. They were unable to switch on their water pumping motors.
It doesn't end here. Frequent power outages in some areas have also led to complaints by several citizens of motorcycles getting burnt.
Read more: Load-shedding in sweltering heat tests Karachiites' patience
Consumers say power is cut off under the guise of repairs and technical faults and there is no one to keep a check on K-Electric.
K-Electric, meanwhile, says that demand and supply has improved and the overall situation is better.
Unannounced load shedding is not carried out in Karachi, K-E said.
Businesses have collapsed, lament traders
Last week, traders complained that their businesses have collapsed due to frequent power breakdowns, while teachers and students said intermittent and prolonged power cuts have affected their online classes.
Karachi Electronic Dealers Association President Rizwan Irfan had shared with The News how working hours had been reduced to only two due to the lockdown orders and power breakdowns.
Read more: Light drizzle expected in Karachi over next few hours
“If there is electricity, our electric appliance shops will have customers in them,” he said, adding that their shops opened at around 12 noon or 1pm in the afternoon and they had to close them by 6pm due to the lockdown orders.
“During the entire six hours of operations, we have at least a four-hour power breakdown. This drops our profits to only 10% to 15% of what we used to earn during this season,” he said.
