Pakistan: People encounter massive load-shedding as severe heatwave grips nation
Jun 01, 2024
Karachi [Pakistan], June 1 : Amid the ongoing summer season, the people of Karachi are suffering from massive load-shedding and severe power cuts, which have been a problem for the general public's survival in the scorching heat.
As the heatwave worsens in Karachi, people still have a slim chance and hope of comfort, as some individuals from the business community in the city have come together with initiatives like water camps to help the people.
Muhammad Iqbal a daily wage worker working at one such water camp said, "This has been an initiative of the people to quench the thirst of the people. We are only requesting the government to stop load shedding and organize such camps. So that the people can survive in the heat."
When asked about how the children have been falling ill due to the scorching heat of the summer "Only the government can do something in this case, we are trying to do our best to help the people. The government must make some committees and do surveys to actually assess the bad situation and then take serious action over the matter, as the condition grows worse by the day".
Nasir Khan a rickshaw puller stated "Our locality has been suffering a lot, it has been almost 20 days since we have received water supply in our area. Even the electricity is not supplied for more than 16 hours a day, so we have no possibility of relief in that matter also. I believe that the government is not taking the matter so seriously. The government has closed state-run schools, but private school students are still going to school in high temperatures. And these kids are not able to come back home and get relief because there are 16-hour-long powercuts, and this has been the real situation of the people of Karachi."
Muneeb, another citizen of Karachi, stated that "although the scorching heat is a disaster of nature, the government is also not that helpful. I think this is the worst possible scenario for us, as the electricity department is not having any mercy on the general public. People have been paying bills of thousands and lakhs of rupees but I don't know why, there is still no electricity in our houses. We have been suffering for over 12 hours of load shedding in this high heat, while they sit in the air-conditioned offices."
"They will not be able to tolerate any heat if the roles are reversed. And I believe that there is a lot of water but the entire problem is because of rampant corruption and other misconducts. The Tanker Mafia has been stealing the water which should be given to the people and selling it to rich people, whereas we are left here to suffer in the heat," Muneeb added.