Residents Suffer Extended Power Outages in Karachi

Residents of North Karachi are struggling with severe power outages and rampant electricity theft, facing up to 12 hours of daily power cuts that disrupt their lives and work. Locals, including Muhammad Tariq, Farooq Khan, and Babar, report outages occurring at various intervals throughout the day, particularly affecting labourers returning home in the heat. The situation is worsened by illegal 'kunda' connections that supply electricity to over 250 homes, with criminal elements charging exorbitant fees while the industrial area experiences no load shedding. When power is restored in the early hours, residents find it difficult to manage water supplies and sleep, impacting their productivity the next day. The main electricity utility, Karachi Electric (KE), is hindered by outdated infrastructure and financial issues, making it difficult to address the rising demand for electricity. Efforts to tackle these challenges are ongoing, but progress is slow, leaving residents in a perpetual state of hardship.