LAHORE: As the heatwave persists, various urban and rural areas of Lahore and adjoining districts have started experiencing hours-long loadshedding on a daily basis.

The situation is reportedly worse in rural areas, where people are suffering from six to eight hours of power outages.

“It is very difficult to spend even an hour without electricity in such an extreme heat,” commented a resident of Batapur.

“But despite this, our area remains without power for hours every day.”

He said that when they lodged a complaint with the authorities, the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) stated that, since many consumers steal electricity directly from the distribution system, the area has been marked as a high-loss zone.

“This is why the loadshedding is being carried out,” he explained.

“But since we pay our bills regularly, why are we being deprived of electricity?” he wondered, urging Lesco to avoid loadshedding in their area.

Likewise, residents of rural parts of Lahore, Kasur, and other districts also complained about prolonged outages. According to them, loadshedding on the pretext of high-loss feeders is a form of injustice to those who neither steal electricity nor avoid paying their bills.

“Currently, a severe heatwave is ongoing. Loadshedding in such terrible weather is unbearable for the people living in rural areas,” deplored a resident of rural Kasur. He urged the government to direct Lesco to stop loadshedding during the heatwave.

On the other hand, Lesco Chief Executive Officer Ramzan Butt stated that there is zero loadshedding in 95 per cent of Lesco’s service areas, including Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Sheikhupura, and Nankana Sahib.

“We have a total of 2,236 feeders of 11kV in all service areas. Out of these, loadshedding (of up to a maximum of four hours) is being observed in areas served by 123 loss-making feeders. These feeders have been categorized into four types — Categories 1, 2, 3, and 4,” he explained.

The CEO further said that Category-1 loss-making feeders face only one hour of loadshedding, followed by Categories 2, 3, and 4, which experience two, three, and four hours, respectively.

He added that some areas have effectively become no-go zones for Lesco, as residents there are not only involved in electricity theft but have also attacked Lesco teams.

“Loadshedding in high-loss areas is being carried out under the federal government’s policy introduced years ago. This policy has shown positive results in terms of increasing the revenue of power distribution companies,” he maintained, requesting the public to assist Lesco in identifying and taking action against power thieves.

Meanwhile, a Lesco team led by the Hamza Town SDO detected electricity theft at a plaza in Karim Park, Ferozepur Road. Electricity was being illegally supplied to a flour unit (chakki), a medical store, and three houses, according to a Lesco spokesperson.

The team disconnected the illegal supply and, with the help of local police, arrested two individuals on the spot.

An application was also submitted for the registration of an FIR against the power thieves. A fine (detection bill) will be imposed, the spokesperson added.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2025