By Ahsan Mughal
KARACHI: Residents across Karachi are facing crippling power outages lasting between 12 to 14 hours a day, with large swathes of the city left without electricity during the sweltering pre-monsoon heat. From Lyari and Korangi to Landhi, New Karachi, and Sarjani, prolonged load shedding has become an unwelcome and exhausting part of daily life.
Reports from the city indicate that other neighborhoods—North Karachi, Nazimabad, Malir, Quaidabad, and multiple blocks of the F.B. Area—are also caught in the grip of extended electricity disruptions. Even localities such as Model Colony, Jahangir Road, and PIB, often considered relatively stable in terms of power supply, are now experiencing unannounced outages. Communities in Mosquito Colony, Railway Colony, Madipur, and the coastal strip of Hawks Bay have expressed deep frustration, citing the collapse of daily routines, particularly for small businesses and households without backup power.
The blackout spells have only worsened public sentiment as Karachiites struggle to cope with heat, water shortages, and stalled economic activity. Many residents have taken to social media and local complaint forums to vent their anger and despair, with some neighborhood committees threatening to stage protests if the outages persist.
In response to growing public concern, KElectric issued a statement maintaining that Karachi’s power supply system is “largely operating normally.” According to the utility provider, 70 percent of the city’s electricity network remains exempt from load shedding. The company defended its load management policy, saying that power cuts are concentrated in areas with high levels of electricity theft and poor bill recovery rates.
A spokesperson for KElectric explained that load shedding is implemented “in line with ground realities,” particularly where theft or non-payment has been recurrent. However, critics argue that this blanket categorization often punishes entire communities regardless of whether individual households are compliant. “It’s unjust to penalize thousands who pay their bills regularly just because some in the area don’t,” said a resident of Nazimabad, who has been without electricity for over 10 hours a day this week.
