SUKKUR: A severe heatwave coupled with the relentless unscheduled power cuts has brought life to a standstill in Sukkur, sparking widespread public outrage against the Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco).

Residents served by the Qureshi Road and Pir Murad Shah feeders in the Old Sukkur Subdivision reported that the unannounced load-shedding has made domestic and commercial life miserable. Despite these feeders being among Sepco’s highest revenue-generating areas, consumers alleged they are being unfairly targeted with prolonged outages during peak temperatures.

Speaking to the media, local residents highlighted the toll on vulnerable groups, noting that children, the elderly and the sick are suffering immensely in the sweltering heat. Small businesses, already struggling, have been further crippled by the frequent interruptions, which locals described as a source of “mental agony”.

Aggrieved citizens claimed that while numerous complaints have been lodged with the relevant authorities, Sepco has responded by increasing, rather than decreasing, the duration of the outages.

The public has now issued an urgent appeal to senior Sepco officials and the chief executive officer to intervene, demanding immediate action against responsible staff and a restoration of uninterrupted power to provide much-needed relief from the blistering weather.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2026