Energy minister orders K-Electric to restore power in Karachi by tonight

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub has directed K-Electric to restore power in Karachi by tonight after several areas reported being without electricity even after two days.

Ayub said he is in contact with KE’s management and that he had directed the city’s sole power provider to ensure electricity supply to the areas suffering powering outages.

Ayub made the remarks in a phone call with Governor Sindh Imran Ismail and Prime Minister Imran Khan's special assistant on power, Shahzad Qasim, on Saturday.

Governor Ismail said the prolonged breakdown had left citizens in a dismal state.

He added that he had spoken to KE CEO Moonis Elahi after the company had failed to restore power even after two days following the heavy downpour in the metropolis. “I have directed KE CEO to immediately restore power in the city,” he said.

KE, in a post on Twitter, said over 91% of its feeders had been powered up with teams working through the night for power restoration.

The city is suffering from a massive power breakdown after heavy rain lashed Karachi on Thursday breaking a decades-old record.

In some areas, power was restored after 30 to 35 hours, however, many remain without electricity.

The power outage also left the residents of Karachi with little means to contact friends, family and co-workers as a breakdown of mobile phone services caused by extended electricity outages added to their woes.

Subscribers of multiple networks reported being unable to connect to cellular data and calling/messaging services, leaving them disconnected from the outside world.