KARACHI – August 21: Karachi’s electricity crisis deepened on Wednesday as nearly a hundred power feeders of K-Electric remained out of service, plunging large swathes of the city into prolonged darkness following two days of relentless monsoon rains.
According to officials, 98 feeders are still inactive, disrupting power supply to dozens of neighborhoods. The outages, which began during the downpour, have persisted as water seeped into underground cables and substations, hampering restoration efforts.
Among the worst-hit areas are Surjani Town, Yusuf Goth, Moinabad, Scheme 33, Baldia, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Bin Qasim, Gulshan-e-Hadid, Manghopir, and Razzaqabad. Residents in Moinabad, Amirabad, Sadiqabad, and Model Colony reported that they have been living without electricity for more than 48 hours. Parts of North Karachi, including Sector 5-I, as well as Al-Ashraf and Scientist Society in Scheme 33, Municipality, and even upscale localities in DHA, have also been affected.
Despite assurances from K-Electric’s CEO Moonis Alvi to both consumers and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), as well as interventions by Sindh Energy Minister Nasir Shah, residents say the situation remains unchanged.
The crisis has also taken a tragic turn. Shah Faisal Colony police registered a case against CEO Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi and other K-Electric officials after two brothers, Israr Khan and Siraj Khan, were electrocuted by an underground power line outside their home. Their families have accused the utility of gross negligence and demanded strict legal action.
Meanwhile, the city continues to reel from the fallout of heavy rains, which caused severe urban flooding, road blockages, and power failures. Landslides were reported on Kati Pahari, while key roads such as Korangi Industrial Area Road, I.I. Chundrigar Road, and Sultanabad remained submerged, crippling traffic. In Surjani Town, conditions were so dire that rescuers had to transport a patient to the hospital by boat.
Karachiites, already battered by flooding, now face long nights without power, sparking anger and frustration across the city.
