The latest load shedding crisis in Pakistan has sent out a wave of anger and torment among the citizens as they face 8 to 12 hours of power outages and unscheduled load shedding across the country.
The problem of load shedding is not a stranger to the people of Pakistan, as they have been acquainted with it from time to time in eras of various governments. However, the public refuses to be immune to this issue and constantly appeals to the government to find an end solution to it.
Though the latest load shedding crisis is record-breaking as the electricity shortfall has reached 7,468 MW, coercing the government to cut the electricity supply for “short periods” in various areas, to unburden the load on the power plants and transmission lines, thus resulting in long hours of scheduled and unscheduled load shedding.
The Reasons Behind Load Shedding
The increase in load shedding in Pakistan is also due to the reason that the gap between the demand and the supply continues to widen, more specifically in the summer months, as the heat waves struck the country. In a country with a current population of 220 million, the electricity demands reach up to 25,500 MW while the installed power plants and other generation sources can generate only 18,031 MW of energy, out of which most is lost due to old faulty transmission systems.
Another reason for the electricity deficit is that the soaring prices of fossil fuels and LNG in the international market have sky-rocked, resulting in the power plants not getting enough fuel to generate electricity as per their capacity.
The hydropower plants, which depend on water, also face power shortfalls due to the decrease in the storage of water in dams. The unnecessary delays in the construction of new dams threaten to escalate this problem.
The Government’s Reason For The Increase In Load Shedding
The coalition government blames the predecessor government for the current crisis, as the minister of Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal states,
“ PTI government’s ill planning and mismanagement is to be held responsible for the worst load shedding crisis”
Ahsan Iqbal
PM Shehbaz Sharif tries to ensure the public of his efforts to solve the problem,
“We are trying to give relief to the public”
PM Shehbaz Sharif
While on the other hand, he announces that the load shedding is going to increase in the coming month of July.
Impact On Public Life And Industries
the electricity crisis has affected the daily life of the citizens in the worst way, as people come to the streets to protest against the long hours of load shedding, stating that they are unable to perform their daily tasks, as almost all the appliances and devices depend on electricity.
Businesses and industrial consumers encounter heavy blows of loss as their production reduces due to the unavailable electricity. Most industries employ heavy electrical machinery, which becomes useless or damaged when there is no electricity to power them, resulting in deserting and vacant offices, and closed businesses.
The people are forced to use generators, though these alternatives don’t prove effective and are quite expensive for the public as the petrol and diesel prices are on a hike.
The loss in profits has necessitated businesses and industries to downsize, causing an increase in unemployment and poverty.
The public stood enraged due to the uncontrolled load shedding,
In conclusion, the impact of the load-shedding crisis on the country results in devastation and frustration among the public and further threatens to cripple the already damaged economy.
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