Residents of Shangla district are raising alarm over unannounced and extended electricity outages, which they say have severely disrupted daily life and inflicted heavy losses on local businesses. According to residents, power load shedding in several parts of the district now exceeds 17 hours a day, with consumers receiving electricity for only about 15 minutes after each hour-long outage. The erratic supply is affecting both domestic activities and commercial operations, with the situation worsening over the past four days, particularly in Alpuri, the district headquarters, and surrounding areas.
Summer Heat and Business Losses
Households are struggling to cope with intense summer heat due to frequent and prolonged power interruptions, while traders and small business owners face repeated disruptions to their operations. Members of the business community, including shopkeepers and small-scale industrialists, report substantial financial losses as the unreliable electricity supply hampers commercial activity across the district.
Monsoon Rains Trigger Technical Faults
Local accounts indicate that electricity supply to several feeders was disrupted following the onset of monsoon rains on Monday and was restored only late that night. However, repeated tripping and technical faults have continued to interrupt supply, with the problem persisting through Thursday. Residents allege that faults on several feeders continue to affect electricity distribution, leaving many areas of Alpuri and its surroundings with only brief and intermittent access to power.
Irony of Power Generation
Residents point out that Shangla contributes substantially to the national grid through the Khan Khwar Dam and Karora Hydropower projects, which generate more than 85 megawatts of electricity. Despite this, the district endures prolonged load shedding and an unreliable power supply, a situation they describe as deeply frustrating.
Appeal to Federal Minister
Residents have urged Federal Minister and Member of the National Assembly Engineer Amir Muqam to direct relevant power authorities to take immediate notice of the situation and ensure prompt restoration of a stable electricity supply. They also call for a permanent maintenance and emergency response team to be stationed along the transmission line between the Shangla Grid Station and Alpuri, so that faults caused by rainfall or technical failures can be repaired without delay.
Threat of Protests
Warning of possible public action, residents say they will be compelled to stage peaceful protests if prolonged outages, unannounced load shedding, and recurring technical faults are not addressed. They add that responsibility for any resulting public reaction would rest with the relevant electricity authorities.
