Survey: Most citizens report over 10 hours of load-shedding

Online survey reveals electricity crisis worst in Punjab.

KARACHI:

With a sweltering heat wave engulfing the country, a recent online survey conducted by The Express Tribune has revealed that a vast majority of areas are facing more than 10 hours of load shedding daily.

Data from the research, compiled by provinces, shows that the worst hit consumers reside in Punjab. Of the 870 respondents from Punjab, 91% reported facing up to 10 hours of load-shedding daily, while  5% reported that they faced 6 to 10 hours of electricity outage each day.

People living in large cities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan follow as close seconds to Punjab with 76% of respondents from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reporting load-shedding of more than 10 hours daily, followed by residents of Balochistan where 74% people are braving the summer season with 10 hours or more of electricity outages.

Surprisingly, and contrary to public perception, the federal capital has not been spared the brunt of load-shedding either with 79% people saying they faced 6 or more hours of load-shedding daily. 46% of those living in Islamabad reported that they did not have electricity for more than 10 hours daily.

The province where the electricity crisis seems to be in control is Sindh. Only 39% people in the province report that they had load-shedding for more than 10 hours. Indeed, unlike other provinces, 18% of people in Sindh also report that in their areas, load-shedding is less than one hour daily.

A total of 1,898 people have participated in this internet based survey with 870 from Punjab, 622 from Sindh, 124 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 213 from Islamabad and 69 from Balochistan.



Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2013.