SAHIWAL: Around 50 Mepco feeders operating at three different grid stations have been tripping for two days because of heavy fog in the Sahiwal division.

The continuous tripping is causing suspension of electricity for 7-8 hours in Sahiwal, Harrapa, Pakpattan, Burewala and Arifwala.

DSO Circle’s EXEN Jawad Mansoor claims that fault has been removed and the system is functioning smoothly after consultation with the Regional Control Center, Islamabad.

Reports said the three grid stations of 132KV located in Old Harrapa, Sahiwal, and Pakpattan got tripped after the connectivity of feeders disrupted because of the effect of heavy fog.

A Mepco employee, requesting anonymity, said the insulators at the feeder got wet on account of heavy fog and got tripped automatically. “This tripping causes dis-connectivity in the electricity flow,” he said.

It is learnt that eight feeders at Harrapa grid stations, 10 at Sahiwal grid stations and 32 at Old Pakpattan grid stations got tripped.

KILLINGS CONDEMNED: The killing of innocent students was widely mourned and condemned across the city on Wednesday.

Representatives of local political parties, public and private academic institutions, different religious seminaries, Markazi Anjuman-i-Tajran, divisional and district administration, civil society organizations and rights activists strongly condemned the tragic incident.

They organized candlelit vigils, mourning meetings, protest walks and Dua for the departed souls.

Deputy Director (Colleges) Qazi Nasir said the national flag remained down to observe mourning in all educational institutions of the public sector.

“A two-minute silence was also observed in the morning prayers at all educational institutions,” he said.

The Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have organized candlelit vigils at the Mazdoor Puli and Bhandari Chowk. PTI’s district president Shakeel Khan Niazi and PPP district president Chaudhry Zaki attended vigils.

Ittehadul Bainul Muslimeen divisional secretary-general Shaikh Ijaz Raza condemned the brutal killings.

Traders observed a complete shutter down strike on the call of the Markazi Anjuman Tajran. The Lok Sujag, Lok Rahs, Insan Dost Association and Freedom Network had jointly organized a protest walk against Taliban.

The funeral prayers in absentia were offered at the Police Lines which were attended by Commissioner Sadiq Shaikh, RPO Fasil Shahkar, DCO Dr Sajid Mahmood, DPO Khurram Ali and other officers.

The DPO told reporters that the security at all educational institutions had been tightened.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2014