HAFIZABAD - Worst power outages have not only adversely affected the shopkeepers and small industrialists but also made the lives of citizens miserable in the prevailing hot weather.
The power shutdown duration is being increased with every passing day. The Gepco has started loadshedding stretching four to five hours long at different intervals and supply electricity only for four to six hours during 24 hours, crippling the routine life.  Housewives, students, elderly people, children and patients have to suffer a lot due to power outages. People could not properly take sleep due to nighttime loadshedding, which also affects their physical and mental health.
The worst hit was powerlooms workers. According to a survey more than 5,000 workers engaged with powerlooms industry. Hundred of daily-wagers have been rendered jobless due to the power shutdown.  The water supply remained disrupted most of the time causing problems to the housewives. Like other parts of the province, the city is in grip of heatwave and mercury is continued to rise day by day. Most of the shopkeepers remain idle and seen sitting outside shops with hand-fans, cursing the Gepco and the rulers for the sad state of affairs.
They demanded that the long hours of loadshedding should be reduced immediately.  They added that continuous 4-6 hours loadshedding was being observed after every two hours. They said that life had come to a standstill due to the worst power shutdown.