Pitter-patter: Sizzling Lahore cools down as the heavens open

Locals take sigh of relief as there is no load-shedding in the city

LAHORE: The weather took a turn towards the more pleasant on Saturday as the mercury dropped after rain over the city.

Locals also got temporary relief in the form of reduced power outages as very little or no load-shedding was reported in the city.

|According to the weather forecast report issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), rain and thunderstorms with gusty winds are expected in Lahore and upper Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha and Faisalabad, over the next three days.

The Met office forecast that pre-monsoon currents are likely to penetrate the country from Monday (tomorrow) and this will produce rains in the upper and central parts of the country. For example, rain with dust and thunderstorm and gusty winds is expected in scattered places of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu and DI Khan divisions as well as Islamabad from Monday to Friday.

In the meanwhile, isolated heavy rainfall is also expected in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Lahore divisions on Wednesday/Thursday.

Rain and thunderstorm with gusty winds is expected in scattered areas of Malakand Division, FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir from Monday (tomorrow evening) to Saturday. Similarly, rain and thunderstorm with gusty winds is expected in isolated places of Zhob, Sibbi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur and Sahiwal divisions from June 20 to June 22.

As per the weather forecast over the next 24 hours, mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, rain dust-thunderstorm with gusty winds are expected in a few places in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan divisions, Islamabad and Kashmir. Thunderstorm, light rain/drizzle are expected at a few places along the Sindh and Makran coast.

Empowered, but for how long?

The rain and reduced temperatures may have seen most of Lahore with power, but the rest of Ramazan has been a different story altogether.

Unabated load-shedding has continued through most of the holy month, especially during Sehri and Iftar hours. Even the notice taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif against power breakdowns during the holy month seemed to have little effect.

Just last week, a resident of Islam Park, Salamat Ali, said a power transformer in their area was blown up on Thursday and people were running from pillar to post to get it installed.

“A few of our neighbours protested in front of the Lahore Electricity Supply Company (LESCO) office, but were still awaiting a replacement of the faulty transformer,” he said. The resident added the absence of power had also created a water shortage in the area.

Similar remarks were made by other citizens who were suffering prolonged hours of load-shedding. Ahmad Raza from Mall Road said the situation was badly affecting his business activities.

He demanded that electricity be supplied to commercial areas and markets during Eid. “It will not only help generate economic activity, but also provide employment to many,” he maintained.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2017.