Pakistan: Load-shedding affecting business of people in Balochistan

Apr 11, 2023

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 11 : Undeclared load-shedding has been going on in Pakistan's Balochistan, including its capital Quetta since the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan, greatly disturbing the lives of people, Pakistan vernacular media Qudrat Daily reported. The business of people has been badly affected due to load shedding in Balochistan.
Load-shedding, spanning 18 hours, has made it impossible for people to carry out their work in Balochistan, as per the news report. With the ongoing power outages in Balochistan, tailors have not been able to stitch clothes, while Ramzan is the most important month for them to earn money.
The tailors have stopped taking orders for stitching. They had even travelled to Quetta from other parts to earn more money, according to Pakistan vernacular media Qudrat Daily report. However, the tailors expressed worry about how they will celebrate the festival of Eid.
Earlier in March, residents in the Kohat region of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also faced prolonged suspension of gas and electricity since the beginning of Ramzan, the Dawn reported. People complained regarding the prolonged suspension of gas and electricity in Kohat.
The prolonged suspension of gas and electricity has dashed the consumers' hopes of a "smooth" supply in the fasting month as promised by the government, as per the news report.
Sajid Islam, a local, said the Peshawar High Court had said the residents of a gas-producing district should get the facility uninterrupted. However, Sajid Islam stressed that Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) was violating the court orders, Dawn reported.
Residents of both urban and rural regions have complained that the gas supply was suspended from 10 pm till 10 am, as per the Dawn report. Another resident named Hamid said that people were facing problems while preparing meals during Sehri and Iftar. Another resident said consumers were in a bind since the beginning of Ramzan as they were facing prolonged electricity load-shedding.