The public and business community are facing the possibility of prolonged power outages, as the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) has officially recommended an extension in the duration of load shedding just weeks before the arrival of summer and the holy month of Ramadan.
This proposal was formally presented today in a letter sent by HESCO Mirpurkhas Executive Engineer Amjad Ali Sheikh to PTC HESCO Hyderabad, proposing an increase of at least two hours for several 11KV feeders in the city and its surrounding areas.
Under the new plan, load shedding on feeders supplying electricity to areas like Gharibabad, Bismillah Town, Nawazabad, City, Mahmudabad, Linking, MPK 1+4, Mirwah, Satellite Town, Kishori Lal, and Ismail Shah Baba will be increased from six to eight hours.
Even greater increases have been recommended for other areas. In the Hirabad area, it is proposed to increase daily power outages from four to ten hours, while for the Industrial Area, the duration would be extended from four to six hours. In Mirabad, the load shedding period could be increased from 11 to 12 hours.
This recommendation has drawn severe reservations from civic circles and the business community, who have pointed out the contradiction between the government’s claims of “zero load shedding” and the move to drastically increase power outages.
Consumers have also voiced additional complaints, stating that large meters are being installed on transformers and alleging that they are forced to fund repairs through private individuals when equipment fails.
According to citizens and traders, the implementation of such a harsh schedule before Ramadan will cause both mental and economic hardship. They have described the move as an “injustice and excess” that will severely affect business activities, industrial operations, and daily life.
In response, civic circles and trade organizations have demanded intervention from the Sindh government and relevant higher authorities. They are urging for the immediate withdrawal of the proposed schedule, improvement in electricity supply, and a reduction in the current load shedding duration.