The Pakistan government has announced scheduled power outages of 2.25 hours every day during peak evening and night hours due to serious fuel shortages.
According to the Power Division, electricity supply will be suspended for about 2 hours and 15 minutes daily between 5:00 pm and 1:00 am. This measure has been introduced as a “peak relief strategy” to avoid a sharp increase in electricity tariffs.
The decision comes after major disruptions in LNG (liquefied natural gas) supplies. Qatar, one of Pakistan’s main LNG suppliers, declared force majeure due to regional conflict, which severely affected gas availability for power plants. As a result, the country is forced to rely more on expensive furnace oil and other costly fuels to generate electricity.
Officials say that without load management, the cost of producing electricity would rise significantly, putting an extra burden on consumers through higher bills. By implementing limited and planned loadshedding, the government aims to reduce dependence on expensive fuels and keep tariff increases under control.
Distribution companies (DISCOs) have been directed to share clear outage schedules with the public so people can plan accordingly. The Power Division has assured that the system still has enough capacity to meet overall demand, but at a higher cost.
This temporary measure is expected to continue until fuel supplies improve. The government is actively working on alternative arrangements, including increasing local gas supply to power plants.
Many citizens have expressed disappointment over the return of loadshedding, especially as summer temperatures are rising. The authorities have asked people to use electricity wisely and follow conservation measures to minimise inconvenience.
