Power Plays: GEPCO resumes load shedding in Sargodha

After week-long suspension in power cuts following mass protests, Gepco resumed regular power cuts.

SIALKOT:

Following the series of protests against power outages in the district, the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) has resumed load shedding in the district. After a week-long suspension in power cuts following mass protests in various districts, Gepco officials have resumed regular power cuts in Sargodha. 

Talking to reporters at Uggoki on Sunday, local Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Chaudhry Liaqat Ali Ghuman expressed grave concern over the renewed power outages. He said that Gepco had started power outages despite the federal government’s repeated promises and boasts to put a stop to load shedding. “There are still regular power cuts and it seems that this ‘promise’ only lasted one week. It was made to pacify the public but now the protests will start again,” Ghuman said. When contacted, Sialkot Gepco officials said that the power supply was being suspended directly from Islamabad and that they were trying to get a schedule for power outages. “We are trying to give maximum relief to export-oriented industries in Sialkot. The government never swore to put an end to power cuts permanently. They promised temporary respite,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2011.