KARACHI, March 6: Life in the metropolis was seriously affected on Thursday when a tussle between the Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) and the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) caused massive city-wide power breakdowns.

Many hospitals called off operations and supplies from hydrants were affected while students suffocated in their institutions due to the power outage.

Business and industry also suffered due to the lack of electricity supply. Generators kept on noisily running the whole day but even then markets were almost empty due to the lack of power.

The massive power cut affected bazaars, businesses and homes in the normally bustling economic hub and caused huge traffic jams as signals went out of order.

“We have got a small generator for our house but it has proved highly expensive today because we don’t know when the power is going to come back,” said Gulzar Ahmed, a resident of Liaquatabad.

“We are not bothered why the KESC did not pay Pepco or Wapda. When we pay the bill, we must get electricity,” he added.

Arshad Hussain, a small businessman, was enraged at the possibility of four per cent fuel adjustment charges being passed on to consumers by the KESC and said that before any increase, they must first ensure regular power supply and plug theft and leakages from the system.

He said that if the situation persisted, the city would witness the worst kind of power riots with deep political undercurrents. He accused the KESC of not investing in infrastructure improvement since it was privatized.

A spokesman for the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) said water supply to some areas of city was suspended following the electricity breakdown on Thursday morning, adds PPI.

The electricity supply was suspended at 8.05am and restored at 11.15am. As a result, 73mgd less water was supplied to the city from Dhabeji, Gharo, Pipri, North East Karachi and Hub pumping stations.

The spokesman said although generators were used to continue the supply of water, the breakdown affected the whole city. He requested the citizens to use water conservatively.

Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Coordination Committee’s Deputy Convenor Dr Farooq Sattar strongly urged the caretaker government to immediately resolve the electricity problems and make sure that Wapda does not attempt to reduce or cut down the supply of the metropolis.

He said this while addressing a hurriedly called press conference at the Khursheed Memorial Hall on the electricity breakdown in the city and the manhandling of Tahir Khokar, the MQM’s parliamentary leader in the Azad Kashmir Assembly.

Dr Sattar urged the government to immediately solve the rift between the KESC and Wapda for the solution of the electricity crisis and demanded the owners of the KESC fulfil the requirements of their agreements.

He urged the federal government to ensure Wapda does not take steps which would engulf the city in darkness.

He said that the 16 million people of Karachi had suffered a horrible situation due to the disconnection of power supply from Wapda. He said the Haq Parast leadership had started the windmills project at the coastal areas of Karachi up to Thatta and Badin, which would be completed within two years and produce more than 7,000 megawatts electricity.

“It is now the responsibility of the upcoming government to complete this power generation project on a priority basis,” he added.