KARACHI:
Despite being known as the city of lights, many areas in Karachi experience massive power outages throughout the year. The duration of load shedding has been over 7 to 12 hours daily. Prolonged load shedding has disrupted civic life and made it extremely difficult for people to fulfil tasks. Often hospitals and clinics are not equipped with generators, which has resulted in delays in surgeries and fatalities.
With the summer season fast approaching, excessive load shedding will make people’s lives further miserable as they face water shortages because they cannot use water pumping motors. Students suffer from academic losses as they are forced to prepare for exams in the heat and dark. Businesses and factories face grave consequences because all commercial activity is halted. People avoid visiting markets during load shedding, thus, reducing retailers’ profits. There are delays in production and other procedures, which poorly impact the overall economic activity in the country.
Although businesses and residents have regularly raised concern over the matter, little has changed. The federal government devised strategies to tackle load shedding, but it seems that the plan has not been implemented properly. Some areas have experienced ease in load shedding while others are still bearing the brunt. The relevant authorities must overhaul the entire utility company to address the issue in earnest so that the Karachiites can heave a sigh of relief.
Alvina Kamal
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2022.
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