GUJRAT: Unscheduled and unannounced power outages across the city on Friday paralysed the routine life of citizens, while consumers faced further difficulties as many Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) offices were closed.

Residents complained that the loadshedding caused disruption of water supply and the internet service and made life difficult for them.

They claimed that complaint offices of Gepco were also closed and this situation had been persisting for the last few days.

City areas including Alipura Road, Shadman Colony, Usman Plaza, Chah Budheywala, Zaib Colony and adjoining residential localities as well as other parts of the city remained without electricity for at least five to six hours. However, electricity supply was restored for a brief time in some areas but it was suspended again later.

Some consumers gathered at the Shadman Gepco complaint office to protest against the outages but the office was closed down with no official present.

Gepco officials said the electricity supply lines would often get overloaded in summer causing such outages.

The concerned teams were actively working to rectify the fault lines, they added.

WHEAT SUPPORT PRICE: The distribution of Rs5,000 per acre as wheat support price to farmers has started in the Sialkot district.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2025