Reality Check: Lesco's Loadshedding Woes Continue Despite Claims

Residents in Lahore and its rural areas report continued unannounced power cuts despite Lesco's claims of uninterrupted supply. The company asserts sufficient power from the national grid suffices without load management. However, actual reports suggest forced outages, affecting water supply and contradicting official statements.

The Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) is under scrutiny, as residents of both urban and rural areas report ongoing unannounced power cuts, challenging the company's assertion of having eliminated loadshedding.

While Lesco claims to provide continuous electricity, apart from areas with high line losses, locals report a different experience. Despite assurances of adequate power from the national grid mitigating the need for load management, consumers narrate a reality marked by persistent forced outages that disrupt daily life, especially affecting water availability due to non-functional tube-wells during power cuts, according to a report by Dawn.

A senior Lesco official, speaking privately, conceded that loadshedding persists even in areas supposedly exempt, contradicting public claims of managerial success. Instances abound: Johar Town faced nearly two hours of disruptions recently, with other areas like Green Town and Kasur experiencing similar or worse conditions, especially in rural segments enduring four to eight hours of outages daily. These reports challenge Lesco's public narrative of 'zero-loadshedding' except where high losses occur, as noted by Dawn.

(With inputs from agencies.)