LAHORE - The Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) has claimed that no unscheduled electricity outages will be carried out across the country from Saturday night. Pepco Director General, Tahir Basharat Cheema while talking to The Nation observed that improvement in power supply network has led to reduction of around 1,000 megawatt in the total shortfall of electricity. He said that severe power crisis started when the Pepco had only 6,500 megawatt of electricity from all sources as against the national demand of 11,000 megawatts. The major reason behind this shortfall was the decrease in water flow slump in oil and gas supplies needed for thermal needs, he said. The water inflow was at a historic low as 36 per cent less than the flow recorded during the corresponding period of the last year, causing a huge drop in hydropower generation, he said. He said the release of Rs7.5 billion by the Finance Ministry on the directives of President Asif Zardari will comfort the nation in terms of enhancement in thermal power generation. As this huge amount will be utilised to ensure oil supply to thermal power houses to maximise their power generation. He further said likewise water released from Tarbela and Mangla has also improved, which will help in overcoming this severe loadshedding. Meanwhile, the massive and unscheduled power outages have intensified further, paralysing the whole life in city, apparently. Residents from all localities of the city and its adjoining areas have reported The Nation that the frequent hours-long electricity breakdowns were continued. Unannounced loadshedding of up to 15 hours was reported also in city areas like Allama Iqbal Town, Johar Town, New Mozang, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Kachupura, Garhi Shahu, Cavalry Ground, Green Town, Awan Town, Faisal Town, Model Town, Chungi Amarsaddhu, Ravi Road, Gulberg, Sadar, Cant, Mughalpura, Gujjarpura and Laxmi, Gawalmandi, Anarkali, The Mall, Saadi Park, Multan Road, Yateem Khana, Muslim Town, Badami Bagh, Circular Road, Railway Road, Islampura, Sant Nagar, McLeod Road, Band Road and Shad Bagh. The residents of these areas have criticised the authorities concerned over their carelessness. They demanded the immediate solution of prolonged loadshedding. The people warned that if remedial measures were not taken, they would attack Lesco installations and offices. Govt asked to respect public mandate PML-N central secretary finance and former MNA Pervez Malik has said that due to defective polices and poor planning by the federal government, crisis in the country have deepened. Speaking at a meeting here on Saturday, he regretted that rulers seem to be least concerned about grave energy crisis, which have forced people to roads. The PML-N leader said it is peoples' right to protest against shortage of petrol and loadshedding of electricity but they must remain peaceful, as "arson, ransacking and rioting would not lead to resolution of problem." He said rulers must pay attention to overcome energy crisis, as closure of industries would not only damage national economy but also render large number of workers jobless giving rise to myriad problems. Pervez Malik said if no new power plants were installed during Pervez Musharraf era, it is not the fault of people and they must not be penalised for it, asserting that PPP government must not waste time and take rapid measures to overcome power shortage to meet country's energy requirements. He said it is duty of the government to recover Rs200 billion owed by different departments to Wapda, adding, "If government cannot do it, it has no right to remain in power." Expressing concern over increase in tariff of natural gas, he said price-hike had already made lives of people miserable and government must not add to their miseries through such steps. He called for an immediate end to loadshedding and reduction in rate of petroleum products, saying that parliament session has been convened for discussion on national issues.