Do they have excuse for unscheduled load shedding?

Sohail Rashid 

When there was shortage of water, span of power breakdown was at its height but strangely when the country is flooded, load shedding durations are more than earlier probably the electricity grids or power stations seem affected by the floods. Whatever is the reason, interruption of power in peak hours in Ramadan in twin cities is adding up to the difficulties of the fasting souls.

The badly affected areas include: Sir Syed chowk, Satellite town, Shamsabad, Gulzar e Quaid and some areas in the vicinity of Benazir Bhutto airport, sectors F-8, F-10 and G-8. ‘Sehr’ and ‘Iftar’ has become difficult for the people.

During day, people have to face hot and humid monsoons season (‘sawan’) without fan for two hours each in morning at afternoon, and in the evening at the time of ‘Iftar’ (un fasting time). Again it happens at midnight and when people get up to have ‘Sehri’ at 2-4 am.

“I could hardly manage to sleep for two or three hours in these nights because of power failure and I have to go to my job early in the morning. This is really a serious trouble for me” said Babar Mir, a resident of Sir Syed chowk.

Usama Hanif, a student and resident of F-10 Islamabad said unannounced load shedding is causing a lot of problems. In Ramadan, time for rest is already very short and due to load shedding, he can’t sleep in that time too. ”It is quite disturbing and irritating when you, with keeping fast, come home from university and find no electricity,” he added.

“After a hectic daily routine especially in Ramadan, one needs relaxation after coming back from his job, but this unscheduled load shedding has literally deprived us of enjoying the blessing of the holy month of Ramadan” said Zahid Ul Islam, a government employee and a resident of Shamsabad.

Riaz Niazi, a resident of airport road said the government has failed to control shortfall in power genertation, even after our dams are full of water now.

“We are not going to protest just because of Ramadan but if current load shedding routine would remain the same, we have to go for some other ways,” he concluded.