It was for the first time in the history of Pakistan when the entire country went without electricity, putting the nation in anxiety, uncertainty and chaos.
Wapda spokesman Shafqat Jalil told media that the worst ever breakdown which started at 1.40 pm due to technical fault in the newly constructed Ghazi Barotha power station putting load on other power generating units at Tarbela, Mangla, and Jamshoro that caused tripping of these powers houses and left the entire country without electricity.
He ruled out any act of sabotage or terrorism in this connection.
Due to such a long and countrywide power breakdown, rumours about change of the government were so persistent and strong that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Minister of State for Information Tariq Azim and Secretary Information Shahid Rafi had to interact with the media to allay the rumours and confirmed that power failure was 'purely' due to technical fault and tripping of grid stations.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told newsmen that he had directed Wapda officials to submit a complete inquiry report of the sudden breakdown.
He said that electricity had been restored in many cities, whereas officials had been directed to take repair work in the rest of the areas on war footing.
Federal Minister for Water and Power Liaqat Ali Jatoi, who was on official tour of Dubai and Sri Lanka, cancelled his visit and was to return on Monday to supervise restoration work.
He has also ordered Member, Wapda, to conduct enquiry to find out the causes of disruption in power supply and submit report within 48 hours.
Mohammad Ali Durrani, who is with the President in United States, went an extra mile and addressed a news conference in New York to assure that electricity would be completely restored in minimum possible time, and there was no truth in the rumours of government change.
Major victims of the power breakdown were the people fighting for life in hospitals. It was a nightmare for those innocent people who spent hours in federal capital hospitals without electricity.
By the time of filing of this report, electricity had been restored in some parts of the twin cities after more than four hours of breakdown.