IT is alarming to see the scourge of loadshedding rearing its head again, and that too in the dead of winter. What is more, the ongoing 8-hour power outages, according to the officials, are going to last till February. Along with other urban centres, Lahore and Karachi are experiencing unscheduled loadshedding despite pledges by the government not to carry it out. The hassle it is causing the public is one thing that should be given serious thought. Apart from causing trouble to domestic life, the power cuts are affecting the students preparing for exams and the economy in general. On top of that, consumers seem mind-boggled behind the unprecedented increase in power tariffs. There are reports that gas and electricity supply to hundreds of industrial units throughout the country remain suspended for long hours. The problem is that the closure of their mills for some more time would result in massive unemployment and add to the worries of the government. Moreover the power shortages also prove to be a big disincentive to foreign investors. Though the government has for quite some time been saying that it would take up the issue on a war footing, but as things stand it has done virtually nothing except harping on the same string. The authorities must appreciate the people's misery and the economic fallout of the lack of power. The crisis appears to be gaining horrific proportions by the day. While steps like the Bhasha dam must be lauded, solid interim measures like the installation of more IPPs should be simultaneously taken up.