Windstorm triggers blackout in twin-cities

ISLAMABAD:  Heavy rain and windstorm in parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Thursday disrupted power supply as multiple 11kV feeders tripped, according to the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO).

An IESCO spokesperson said the feeders affected include those in Pir Sohawa, Supreme Court, G-8 Markaz, Alipur, and Mehra Jafar.

Power faults were also reported on feeders in Bani Gala, UC Road, Sayam Muhammadi Chowk, New Malpur, Range Road, and Emarat areas.

The official added that electricity supply in sectors like G-8/2 and Sangjani was also impacted. Repair work is under way to restore full service as soon as possible, he added.

The unexpected power outage sparked frustration among residents of the twin-cities, with many venting their anger on social media over Islamabad Electric Supply Company’s (IESCO) silence during the blackout, which lasted for about half an hour.

Several disgruntled consumers criticised IESCO on its Facebook page. One user questioned the company’s absence during the blackout, asking where IESCO was when half of the city was plunged into darkness.

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Another accused the power supplier of using the storm as a “lame excuse” to suspend electricity. The user rejected the apology issued by IESCO, arguing that the company always cuts power whenever there’s a shift in weather — whether it’s hot, rainy or stormy.

In a sarcastic comment, another user likened Pakistan’s electricity infrastructure to weak threads, saying, “Our electric wires are just raw threads that break at the slightest breeze. Now, when such a strong storm has come and the wind has blown, only God can save these weak threads from breaking.”

Others accused IESCO of staging “dramas” under the pretext of feeder tripping and criticised the frequent outages in the name of maintenance, saying the underlying faults are never truly fixed.