Thousands of workers remained jobless due to prolonged power load shedding, which is having a negative impact on both domestic and industrial activities. No clear-cut power load shedding has so far been issued by Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco).
In industrial city the electricity load-shedding is being undertaken for up to 12 hours, while for rural areas the duration reaches 20 hours, causing severe hardship to the farmers and citizens. Despite cold weather and weekly off, various areas of the Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Chiniot, Khurrianwala, Tandlianwala, Jaranwala, Pir Mahal, Kamalia and Shorkot were facing unscheduled power cut of up to Seven hours out of 13 hours on Sunday.
Khuwaja Shahid Razzaq Sikka, President, Anjuman-e-Tajran City (ATC) said the business community was aware of the power shortage in the country and was ready to cooperate with the government but, unfortunately, the unannounced load shedding had pushed the industrialists to the wall and forced them to take to the streets. Industrial and commercial sector is facing revenue loss of Rs One billion daily due to prolonged halt of power houses.
Mehmood Alam Jatt General Secretary ATC said thousands of industry workers feared being laid off in the wake of the non-availability of electricity, while the government was "observing the situation silently".
Waheed Khaliq Ramey, Chairman Movement for saving Powerlooms Industry said the economic crisis would aggravate in the near future as the industry has failed to meet its existing export orders.
Mirza Shafique Ahmad, former Chairman, Pakistan Sizing Industries Association said the bureaucracy was not interested in improving the situation and had forced the industrialists to protest.
Commenting over the energy crises, Muhammad Shaheen Tabassum, former Chairman, PHMA (North Zone) said that it seems that the situation is going bad to worse, as load-shedding is continue for whole of the year. On the other side, there is severe gas load-management due to its increased demand in winter. Though supply to industry and CNG stations is closed for three days a week in different zones of the country but still pressure for domestic supply is not sufficient in different areas. It is clear that gas is not available for domestic use what to talk of industrial needs.
The energy crisis is so alarming that there is no silver lining in the dark. It is pity that the previous regimes did not take care of the future demand of energy and worked on adhoc basis, which can be termed as offence and situation is so grave that there is load-shedding for every alternate hour, which has abrupt the daily business and life is paralysed. Industry is the worst hit. Resultantly, due to close of business enterprises, industrial labour is loosing its jobs, which might result into deteriorating law and order situation and increased crime level where unemployment is the major cause, he added.
Muhammad Shaheen Tabassum pointed out that the employers are at a desperate condition, as their millions of rupees investment is at stake. There is no considerable improvement in the supply position despite some steps taken by the government, as making clocks one hour ahead, closing of shops early in the evening and with weekly two days holidays etc.