'Power breakdown caused by militants blowing up transmission towers'

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'Power breakdown caused by militants blowing up transmission towers'

Dawn.com Published January 25, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: Federal Secretary of Water and Power Younus Dagha on Sunday claimed the country-wide power breakdown was caused by militants who had blown up two transmission towers in Balochistan.

“Two transmission towers were blown up by miscreants in Sibi late on Saturday,” Dagha said.

Early on Sunday, Pakistan had been plunged into darkness after a key power transmission line broke down. The power failure, one of the worst the country has experienced, caused electricity to be cut in major cities, including the capital Islamabad.

This was the fourth major breakdown of the system within the past one month plunging countless cities, towns and villages in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan into darkness. A substantial area in Sindh was affected, too.

The federal secretary said over 7,000MW of power had been restored and further work was underway to end the breakdown, which still extended into parts of Pakistan. He said the country was currently facing 4,000MW power shortage, and it was expected that the situation would normalise tomorrow (Monday).

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Dagha admitted there had been a security lapse. He did however argue that it was impossible for the state to monitor transmission lines spread over thousands of kilometers.

Dagha said it was time consuming to restore technical problems in the system as there was a single national grid station to supply power. He said steps were being taken to establish at least two alternate grid stations in the country.

Clarifying rumours about an acute shortage of furnace oil, Dagha claimed an additional six days of stock was present and there was no fear of any power crisis at present.

Read: Parts of Pakistan still without electricity, following breakdown

Gridlocked – how power is lost

Complied from media reports

Compiled from Hydro Potential in Pakistan, Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority, November 2011

Compiled from Nepra’s State of Industry Report, 2012

Compiled from The World Bank’s, World Development Indicators Report, 2012

Complied from Pakistan Economic Survey 2013-2014

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Jan 25, 2015 08:18pm

The situation seems to be volatile, due to the tactics adopted by militants. Some alternative to be think off.

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zak the supreme

Jan 25, 2015 08:18pm

want Kashmir ----- all problems solved

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Independent Observer

Jan 25, 2015 08:21pm

Horrible administration. If it was so critical, why wasn't it's security beefed up?

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Irresponsible

Jan 25, 2015 08:22pm

A true example of 'dang tapao' policy.

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farhad

Jan 25, 2015 08:24pm

how many ministers are leading our power and electricity departments ?

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Lyra

Jan 25, 2015 08:27pm

The most intelligent people in Pakistan seem to be the militants. They knew exactly which 2 towers to blow, due to which the whole nation wud be plunged in darkness! I m sure, had Nawaz or any of these govt officials been asked the question before, "Which 2 towers if blown can paralyse the whole nation?" they wouldnt have known!

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Lyra

Jan 25, 2015 08:29pm

"Roshan Pakistan" standing on 2 towers.....hahahaha

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Omar

Jan 25, 2015 08:33pm

For the general public, this is considered to be Government's doing. But from this report it seems like that it was sabotage. If that is the case wouldn't it be the media's responsibility to do some independent research in this matter and report its findings. Media is quick to report and criticise, shouldn't it also help squash inaccurate reports. At the end of the day what is media's role is this country?

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kitco

Jan 25, 2015 08:50pm

Technically incomprehensible. blowing up of transmission lines towers is going on in Baluchistan for years and it never led to power system collapse. In such cases, transmission line protection operates and isolate the affected line from rest of power system. How can a 220 kv transmission line tripping can cause major power system collapse. Even if Uch power plant generation was impacted even than it should not have been a problem given the size of Pakistan national grid.

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aman

Jan 25, 2015 08:56pm

two towers blown and country plunges into darkness stop this foolish excuse. Gov. is just trying to hide its incompetency. First they had dharna excuse now terrorism excuse. Terrorists are quite clever they exactly knew which towers need to be blown and gov. had no idea that these towers are so important. Come on yaar hadh hoti hai excuse ki bhi.

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Shahid

Jan 25, 2015 09:04pm

Good reporting on general data BUT could you please teach us how is it possible that two blown up towers in Sibi can put whole of the country in to darkness? Are our electrical engineers and planers from Mars or what?

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asad

Jan 25, 2015 09:07pm

Blame everything and anything on militants...never blame your own lazy ministers or the corrupts politicians.

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RehAn

Jan 25, 2015 09:07pm

How many militants are there in Pakistan? Operation Zarb e Azb is a success, yesterday 1800 arrested, how many are actually left?

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Gaz

Jan 25, 2015 09:08pm

If the Chief Executive of Apple started appointing all his friends in Key positions and they started apointing theur friends in the positions they were responsible then soon you will find that Apple would go from the richest company in the world to bankruptcy. When you dont appoint experts in each field on merit and rely on friends and family then this is where you end up. Its as simple as that two attacks should not take the electricity in the whole country.

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mubashar

Jan 25, 2015 09:08pm

So he is saying that anyone can blow up two towers and whole country would plunge into darkness....what a stupid reason.... what will happen in war?? Never seen or heard such a stupid reason to hide their own lack of professionalism and corruption. Are there no safeguards available in the world to prevent this... i cant blv that...

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waar

Jan 25, 2015 09:09pm

This is called mature administration ....nawaz Sharif has the ability to deliver on his promises ....without the competence of nawaz the problems of oil shortage and power shortage can not be solved so soon ....a perfect slap to those who criticise for no reason ...with him on the PMS chair we will soon surpass economically the other regional countries.....

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Hashim Malik

Jan 25, 2015 09:13pm

No Value Added Comments here.

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ToThePoint

Jan 25, 2015 09:14pm

'Miscreants' blew up the transmission towers. In Pakistan they call such people 'miscreants'. Rest of the world call them terrorists. It look like a long way for Pakistan.

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Talha

Jan 25, 2015 09:15pm

Furnace oil creates electricity and PSO didn't have the funds to buy furnace oil so people, for the past couple of weeks, were speculating that there would be a power breakdown. I don't know if it is linked to that or this new "story". The government surely wouldn't want to take the blame so it probably dispelled the theory of PSO not having funds to buy furnace oil through this new "terrorist blowing the towers" theory.

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Nazir Ahmed

Jan 25, 2015 09:22pm

It is high time our government's politician / administration get training from somewhere to restore law and order.

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Truth

Jan 25, 2015 09:22pm

@Omar To make money at any cost!

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Khan

Jan 25, 2015 09:27pm

@ToThePoint 'Miscreants' they call it because there are not only terrorists operating in the country. As it is mentioned in the story that the towers were blown up in Sibi (Balochistan), it it likely that the attack was carried out by the nationalists. When the perpetrators are not known, it is always better not to label them.

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S Chaudhury

Jan 25, 2015 09:30pm

@Omar Should it not be the government responsibility to secure these lines?

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Truth

Jan 25, 2015 09:35pm

Pakistans electricity system needs a full update to the power grid and towers. Pakistan should seek help from China to train the Pakistanis with international standards services and how the goverment should run the system, etc... Imran Khan would be a great leader for Pakistan and surely he is educated and has seen the world better than Nawaz Sharif.

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zia

Jan 25, 2015 09:40pm

No more dialogue with these so called nationalist. Need another Zarb-e-Azb in Baluchistan, enough is enough.

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Warlord

Jan 25, 2015 09:41pm

When will PML-N start accepting their mistakes? They always blame others for their wrongdoings. First it was dharna, ogra and now terrorists. If these two towers were so important that 80% of the country's power supply depended on it, why didn't government deploy enough security to protect it? PML-N cannot fool the nation with their illogical excuses anymore. You are in 21st century so act like it.

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change

Jan 25, 2015 09:44pm

Can govt. arrange for the journalists and the electronic media persons to have a visit to that area where the blown up towers lying so it will be verified otherwise it should be an excuse only by corrupt ministers and their favourite corrupt officials

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shoukat sheikh

Jan 25, 2015 09:52pm

Lyra funny but true. It is possible inside helped was utilized.

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someone

Jan 25, 2015 09:53pm

It is scary to know that the electricity supply to 80% Pakistan can be stopped by blowing up just two towers. I think Pakistan should be worried about it. Bigger question is, how did those "miscreants" know which two towers to blow? Should we assume "miscreants" have penetrated WAPDA?

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Gautham

Jan 25, 2015 09:56pm

It is terrifying to think what is happening and where this is all going. People have adjusted to the daily dosage of killings but the terrorists seem to be taking the fight to new levels with each passing day. The end doesn't seem to be there or if it's there it is terrible. Utilities are easy targets just like Peahawar. The war has gone one level up for worse.

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MHF

Jan 25, 2015 10:03pm

National Grid is a network of millions of electric poles spread across whole Pakistan. It is practically impossible for any country to deploy solder to each and every pole. In such events what actually matters is how quickly that country revives her network. The response time of few hours has generated real bad news for enemies. Feel your strength!

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Muhammad

Jan 25, 2015 10:06pm

@farhad ALL but only Shahbaz Sharif's orders are implemented!

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Himanshu

Jan 25, 2015 10:22pm

Hey guys! Let me share you something happening in India. US & India are about to signore civil nuclear deal. India may go for 100000 megawatt electricity generation. By 2020 the whole India will get electricity 24x7.

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Su6ra

Jan 25, 2015 10:24pm

back to dark ages!

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rana1

Jan 25, 2015 10:26pm

@Truth ......IK is a person who forgets what he said or did yesterday! He is in his manly menopause.His dharna did more damage then good to Pakistan.Remember the attack on the school happened during his dharna days.And whats more,IK wanted a TTP office to be set up in KP.

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Ahmer

Jan 25, 2015 10:33pm

Nawaz Sharif shouls be declared a PM for life.

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Rakesh

Jan 25, 2015 10:33pm

it is similar to saying that one tanker accident had caused Petrol shortage in last weeks in Pakistan. Guys... grow up. If people believe that two towers can plunge 2/3 of country in darkness, so how venerable u are.. I am surprised if some body saying that then some body buying it.

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Hakim

Jan 25, 2015 10:44pm

"it was impossible for the state to monitor transmission lines spread over thousands of kilometers" What a shameful statement!!! then why don't you give up the government because it seems you are helpless to protect your country and its people.

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Merchant

Jan 25, 2015 10:53pm

First please don't call them miscreants, they are actually terrorists. Second, what Abid Sher is going to do to prevent this disaster in future because restoring power alone is not enough.

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Merchant

Jan 25, 2015 10:55pm

@Lyra or the terrorists paid bribe to the officials to find out the 2 towers. Anything and everything is possible in Pakistan.

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M Rafique

Jan 25, 2015 10:57pm

Hiding behind the militants's activities, to cover the failure

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neeraj

Jan 25, 2015 10:58pm

@Lyra any tower, there is no specific tower. It's a route for transmission of electricity, if any one of them damaged the grid ll fail.

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tac

Jan 25, 2015 10:59pm

@MHF Strength?? As per secretary water & power 2 No. 220 kv circuit towers were blown up and that too in Sibbi and whole system collapsed. Can any one explain how 220 kv circuit tripping can cause national grid blackout. Its just short circuiting of line be it blowing of tower or tree branches fall on conductors and in such events line protection operates and isolate the affected line from rest of power system. Transmission line can not discriminate between blowing up of tower or collapse of towers due to storm or falling of tree branches on conductor etc, its protection relays just respond to short circuiting. Tripping due to blowing of tower is technically no different from other tripping.

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sheryar

Jan 25, 2015 11:09pm

am i the only one that noticed the graphics statistics are taken from 3-4 year old data???

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prince

Jan 25, 2015 11:09pm

militants blow the towers bcoz they dont want pakistanis to see Obama-Modi's friendship....

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Lyra

Jan 25, 2015 11:24pm

@ neeraj : Are you serious? When we design the electrical lines at homes we design it in such a way that if one part fails others are not affected. And you telling me that the electrical system of the whole country is designed such that any one tower fails, the whole country fails?

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puppet

Jan 25, 2015 11:28pm

Who should differ on the point that it is a simple job only performable by a man who works or worked inside ?

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Tughral

Jan 25, 2015 11:41pm

So basically two transmission towers jointly formed the single point of failure for 80% of electricity supply in the country?

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Justwsf

Jan 25, 2015 11:43pm

whole Pakistan depends on two towers.... hmmmm does not make sense.... any way its ok...

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BigBoss

Jan 25, 2015 11:58pm

The tale of 2 towers

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Arif Aslam Khan

Jan 26, 2015 12:07am

These are lame excuses, after Abid Sher Ali (an Novice in Power Generation) now ths Secretary has been asked to issue this Statement. I do not know why this Govt thinks that we, the Pakistani Nation,are bunch of idiots & will take what ever they say? Why don't they accept that these Power failures are another example of poor management & non-payment of bills to PSO. How can any one accept that blowing of two Transmission Towers in Balochistan will cause Nationwide outage of Electricity? This explanation does not deserve even a dustbin, shame.

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Arif Aslam Khan

Jan 26, 2015 12:12am

@Lyra very well said, this is the answer to lie reapeatedly told by our Government think we are bunch of idiots!

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kautiliya

Jan 26, 2015 12:15am

I wonder if it is a diversionary tactic to blame the militants by the powers to be.

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El Indiano

Jan 26, 2015 12:27am

I'm at a loss to understand this statement. An electricity network would have to be incredibly poorly designed if blowing up two towers can plunge an entire country into darkness. On second thoughts, not even the poorest of poor design would do it. It would have be deliberately designed that way with malicious intent, and would need a lot of sophisticated engineering to accomplish this feat. In any case, if such towers exist, a government would be expected to guard them more securely than they guard their top secret nuclear establishments. In summary, I don't buy the story.

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Raza

Jan 26, 2015 12:36am

Isn't Bugti's progeny the leaders in the rebel group? Rumor has it that these very dastardly people are friends with the PMLN's bigwigs. It will be so easy to squeeze these rebels and eliminate them by the present federal government if it wants to really do so. Secondly, if our national electric grid system has a single point of failure, then eliminate that single point of failure and change the structure of distribution points to circumvent the problem. Is there any person with brains in this government?

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hello

Jan 26, 2015 12:38am

Situation and future are grim for pakistan

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SKD

Jan 26, 2015 12:59am

Pakistan government invented militant root to escape blame.

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Lucky Sta

Jan 26, 2015 01:18am

@Truth IK is just crickter, and his only experience is running a hospital on donations. The system is so rundown, it will be foolish for IK and PTI to take over; the result will be the same and suicidal for the party. If I am Ik I will wait patiently for 2018 for sure win.

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shamain

Jan 26, 2015 01:21am

something doesnt make sense

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Dr Haroon

Jan 26, 2015 01:28am

Hahahaha put your incompetence on militants

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deva

Jan 26, 2015 01:28am

if pakistan's whole power system rely on these two towers then they needs to protect these to like nukes. else in War time if someone hit these two then game over for pakistan. it's excuse by govt i think. must be some other thing go wrong

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T. M. Wazir

Jan 26, 2015 01:43am

It's really a shame for Nawaz Sharif Government , can't find or eliminate handful of militants in little town of Sibbi .

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Iqbal

Jan 26, 2015 02:00am

You told and we believed! That's like flood in downtown sweeps donkeys of uphill town. Power is generated mostly in KPK and centralized in Lahore, how was that possible of power cut down in the whe country. It means that Pakistan depends on vulnerable supply system which any state actors can exploit anytime. This a lame excuse, unblevievable.

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abdul

Jan 26, 2015 02:07am

Do we still employ eighteen century work methods in the twenty first century, haven't we got any mechanical aids to speed up the task? Surely the workmen could do with two free hands and not worry about falling off the ladder?

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Vikas Rehman

Jan 26, 2015 02:53am

Well, now the govt should put a soldier next to every electric pole, and while at it may be they could be asked to remove all the 'Kundey'.

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Bilal

Jan 26, 2015 03:11am

Build the kala bagh and other dams for freaking future mr pm

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Anurag

Jan 26, 2015 03:50am

just love the word ..miscreants or mischief for that matter. . in India we call them shararati tattva ... here or anywhere the buggers are outright criminals and deserve every bit of punishment

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fika77

Jan 26, 2015 04:57am

Lies, lies and more lies. Looks like from now on, every mismanagement will be due to militants.

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A shah

Jan 26, 2015 05:10am

Good millitants or bad millitants?

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Drone

Jan 26, 2015 05:17am

@Lyra Even the chief engineer would not have known.....

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A shah

Jan 26, 2015 05:18am

Why is china our friend higher then any mountain sending us free electricity?

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A shah

Jan 26, 2015 05:27am

So when we go to war with India they just have to blow up the two towers and we are finished? Haha. Where is our super ISI? And our super china friends?

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hyat

Jan 26, 2015 05:37am

good answer. there is no drone or f16 spare for this kind of terriorists?

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zafar

Jan 26, 2015 05:40am

Lies, Lies ..more lies by the most incompetent gov ever. Lets have have this goto army court to get to the bottom of this as to who blew up the towers and how come it affected the whole country. .?!

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Pugal

Jan 26, 2015 05:49am

Power failure is due to demolition of transmission towers or shortage of fuel oil to run the power plant. People can't get fooled for long time, that is what history says.

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Jawad

Jan 26, 2015 06:05am

dont worry you will still be billed for the days you didnt have electricity

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Jawad

Jan 26, 2015 06:06am

Pakistan military really have to destroy there terrorists from its roots. Seriously look at the situation in Pakistan. I dont mind if military take over Pakistan!

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Imam

Jan 26, 2015 06:58am

Stop blaming administrative issues to Terrorists. This is due to poor management and poor maintainance.

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Shyam

Jan 26, 2015 07:08am

Another feather in the cap for terrorists. But, the Madrassa cannot give such brains to them. It is the learned ones who are more dangerous. I really feel bad for common Pakistan citizens when I read such incidents. I read someone said that if Kashmir is given all the problems will be solved. Seriously?

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Meena

Jan 26, 2015 07:12am

Wonder how much furnace oil the government managed to save by plunging half the country into darkness for 12 hours?? Hmmmmmm.... ! Something fishy going on here!

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concerned_Cit

Jan 26, 2015 07:18am

I don't buy this story even for a second. How is it that one or two poer sources were brought down by extremists and the WHOLE country plunged into darkness???? I call this corruption at the highest level, with Nawaz Sharif fully responsible for this mess.

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ajeet

Jan 26, 2015 07:36am

Two lines gone and the country plunges into dark ages? Knock, knock. It's 21st century in the rest of the world.

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Brijesh P

Jan 26, 2015 07:42am

@Truth Why do Pakistanis keep running to China for help? Can you not solve your own problems. These problems are far easier to solve, if you have the resolve.

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Rao

Jan 26, 2015 07:45am

@Lyra ...The problem is militants are highly motivated to disrupt governance in the country and politicians are least bothered about governing the country....Both ways the common man suffers

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Manish Desai

Jan 26, 2015 07:50am

This excuse is hard to believe. How could a single point being blown up cause the entire grid to fail. You cannot collapse a spiderweb by snipping a single thread.

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Revolution

Jan 26, 2015 08:47am

Sorry, didn't mean to omit Musharaf Dehelvi's name from the MirJaffer and Mir Sadiq's descendents.

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mabob

Jan 26, 2015 08:49am

Is this easy way out to hide inefficiency and incompetancy.

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Jawad

Jan 26, 2015 08:50am

@fika77 Pretty much yes. Before it PMLN was blaming the dharna and one terrorists.

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Keti Zilgish

Jan 26, 2015 08:52am

Pakistanis should harness the humility and wisdom to learn from the Chinese and Indians and switch over to riding 10-speed bicycles (bicycle maintenance can easily be learned over the internet and should be taught free of cost), having only one child per couple and stop pretending that they own all nature where food is concerned.

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Rai

Jan 26, 2015 08:58am

@Shahid May be the Indian Mangalyaan has a real Mars angle to it. You might want to explore about such Mars based electricians that Indians may have contacted to derail Allah's own country!

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amazed

Jan 26, 2015 08:59am

I m afraid if someday some miscreant blow up nuclear weapon in Pakistan

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Keti Zilgish

Jan 26, 2015 09:01am

During the blackout the lights outside all the houses were shut down. Would it not conserve some electricity if these same lights were shut down when there is no blackout? What can I say about the bulbs that burn all day outside homes that cannot afford to pay for a switch leave alone the cost of the electricity or the bulb itself. Poverty, wealth and dignity are all farcical crimes and the only ones that ought to be fought.

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Last Word

Jan 26, 2015 09:07am

Pakistan's foundation is continuously being eroded by the state itself who rather than strengthening its own economy had been focusing on its neighbour spending billions on nuclear toys, making mindless defence purchases and creating terror machinery who has now turned out to be country's worst enemy. Pakistan who is short of cash should necessarily change its strategy to reduce its defence spending to less than half and focus on electricity, education, industry, roads, health and strengthening its failing economy which is on the verge of collapse. None of above can be achieved without good relations with India and other neighbours. In this regard Pakistan needs address India's major complaint of cross-border terrorism which is acting as the biggest hurdle in normalising relations between the two countries. After change of this decades old policy, the Kashmir problem can also be discussed and solved through some give and take and shifting stance on the rigid stand taken by both countries. India has moved far ahead of Pakistan focusing on its own economy but the latter is still focused on its neighbours and Kashmir which needs to be changed if Pakistan wants to survive the impending disaster.

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kashif

Jan 26, 2015 09:47am

I won't believe this story of blowing up tower by militants until claim they did it. There one good thing about them is they don't lie... like govt. What they do they declare it on drum beat, and they haven't claimed it yet!!!!

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