Sharif hold PTI responsible for power outages as heatwaves flare the nation
May 02, 2022
Karachi [Pakistan], May 2 : With the blame game still on between Pakistan's present and former governments, Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif has blamed the Imran Khan-led PTI government for excessive load-shedding and ongoing power crisis across the country.
This comes as the country's electricity shortfall reaches between 7,000 and 8,000 megawatts while unannounced load-shedding reaches its peak in Punjab, including Lahore, due to the electricity shortfall.
According to The News International, the Nawabshah town of Sindh remained the hottest place in Pakistan on Sunday where the mercury soared to 49.5 degrees Celsius under the influence of an intense heatwave that has gripped the plains of Sindh and Punjab, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) officials said.
Whereas in Sindh, the mercury touched 49.5 degrees Celsius in Shaheed Benazirabad (Nawabshah) on Sunday, the report added.
Other cities of interior Sindh also experienced extremely hot and dry weather including Jacobabad with 49 degrees Celsius, Mohenjodaro at 48.5C, Larkana, Sakrand and Padidan experienced 48 degrees Celsius on Sunday," an official of the PMD told The News. A maximum temperature of 39 degrees Celsius was recorded in Karachi on Sunday.
People from different cities of Sindh complained of unannounced hours-long power breakdowns amid extremely high temperatures, saying due to high fuel costs, they were unable to use generators for domestic power generation.
The power supply in Pakistan has been disrupted due to the shortage of 300 megawatts from the national grid, cited the spokesperson of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation Limited, as reported by The News International earlier.
In Punjab, Rahim Yar Khan remained the hottest place with a maximum temperature of 47.5 degrees Celsius while the temperature in Lahore remained at 42 degrees Celsius.
In Balochistan, Sibbi remained the hottest place with 47 degrees Celsius followed by Turbat with 43 degrees Celsius while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dera Ismail Khan remained the hottest place with 45 degrees Celsius followed by Peshawar and Bannu with 42 degrees Celsius in each city.
Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir remained the hottest place with a maximum temperature of 41 degrees Celsius, PMD officials said adding that even in Islamabad, stated the local media reports.
The frequent power load-shedding in maximum areas of Pakistan just a few days ahead of Eid ul Fitr has increased the miseries of people who are struggling to perform daily chores, especially during the Sehri and Iftar timings, reported local media.
Criticizing the mismanagement of the Imran Khan-led PTI government and calling it "incompetent and greedy for money", Shehbaz Sharif blamed the former prime minister for excessive load-shedding in Pakistan.
Due to lack of fuel and other technical drawbacks, heatwaves continue to punish the country's citizens in full swing.
