KARACHI, June 17: Citizens faced severe problems as frequent power failures and load-shedding continued to plague the city during the last 24 hours.
The worst hit areas were Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Lyari, Korangi, Orangi Town, Malir and many backward areas such as Shanti Nagar, Bhittaiabad, Safoora Goth, Machhar Colony, Yusuf Goth, Cattle Colony, Labour Colony, Sohrab Goth, Chakra Goth, Gidar Colony and Ayub Goth.
People in some localities passed the night on footpaths as the duration of load-shedding in some areas crossed 12 hours, while on average city areas remained without power for eight hours.
The hot and humid weather added to the miseries of the people, not only affecting routine life but also paralysing business activities. Children and the elderly were the worst victims of the KESC’s apathy.
In Liaquatabad, people took to the streets and held a protest demonstration against the KESC and the government’s apathy over solving the crippling power crisis. They also burnt tyres, disrupting the flow of traffic.
Power outages also created acute water shortages in many areas.
Furthermore, industrialists and businessmen also suffered huge losses due to the load-shedding as they resorted to using oil generators to continue their operations.
The citizens have made repeated appeals to the KESC and the government to resolve the power crisis, but these appeals seem to have fallen on deaf ears.—PPI
