Violent anti-power loadshedding protests re-emerge

Violent protests against unannounced loadshedding continued in urban and rural areas and protestors ransacked a Wapda office besides blocking roads throughout Monday. The angry protestors agitated against the government for loadshedding during Sehar and Iftar, causing cumbersome situation to the consumers in fasting during the holy month of Ramazan.
It may be noted that power shortfall was on the rise with every passing day due to high demand on the system amidst delayed rains in the month of monsoon. There were hopes on the part of the government that early rains during monsoon would ease down demand and limited generation would be enough to meet energy shortage. However, high humidity level in the absence of rains has given rise to the use of air conditioners, particularly in the month of Ramazan that has led to huge demand supply gap in the system.
The independent circles of power sector were of the view that the government was not revealing actual shortfall to the public and instead it was involved in fudging the figures. However, the angry mood of the consumers is enough to suggest that availability of energy is far less than actual demand. President Asif Ali Zardari has again taken notice of the situation, which has become a joke among consumers.
They were of the view that President had been taking notice of the intense situation time and again but all in vain, as the energy managers had failed to overcome the chaotic situation. So the replacement of Ahmed Mukhtar with Syed Naveed Qamar as Minister for Water and Power has failed to deliver. There was minor improvement seen after he took charge of the office but the situation is again back with the passage of time and Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar is not looking enthusiastic in his claims of controlling the situation sooner than later.
Violent protests kept on emerging the scene in Northern areas and various parts of the province of Punjab. The protestors took out heavy protests, burnt tyres, blocked traffic flows and ransacked public properties during the protests. They criticised the government for cutting power supplies for 10 to 12 hours in urban and from 16 to 18 hours in rural areas. The Energy Management Cell reported a shortfall of 5031MW due to high demand of 18361MW against the generation of 13330MW during last 24 hours.