KARACHI, June 10: Various localities in the city were subjected to unannounced loadshedding on Thursday. People living in some of the other areas had to endure power failure, with many receiving power in an intermittent manner throughout the day.

A resident of Jamshed Town told Dawn that he and his family had to do without electrical power from midnight to 10am. "Then the power supply was restored but soon a game of hide-and-seek began," he remarked.

He said the children of his neighbourhood were particularly inconvenienced by the power breakdowns. "Throughout the night we heard them cry." People residing in the vicinity of Korangi Crossing had a similar tale to relate. "At about 8 O'clock in the morning there was a breakdown which lasted some two hours," said a caller.

"At about 9am the power was restored. But 15 minutes later there was another break down which lasted about three hours. In fact, we received power off and on throughout the day."

A resident of Block No 11 of Gulshan-i-Iqbal said his neighbourhood was subjected to at least one breakdown or unannounced load shedding everyday. "This has been going on for at least one month."

The caller added that the KESC meters were too fast. "In the last 10 days we are supposed to have consumed some 118 units, as compared to a monthly average of 230 units as recorded by our old meter."

A caller from Block No 15 in Gulistan-i-Jauhar made a similar complaint. He and a caller from Block No 17 of Gulistan-i-Jauhar said their areas had to do without electricity for a couple of hours daily.

A man living in Block No 13 of Federal B Area told Dawn that on Thursday there was a power breakdown which lasted more than two hours. A woman calling from Sector 14-A in Shadman Town said almost everyday there were two breakdowns. "We are fed up with the supply of electricity because there is no end to it all."

A caller from Block No 2 in the PECHS said breakdown was almost a daily occurrence. "It would be better if the KESC actually announced a schedule for loadshedding. "In case this is done we would be able to plan our chores according to this schedule." Similar complaints were made from some parts of North Karachi and Nazimabad.