Its winter, electricity demand remains less as compared to the summer season. Still, it is a hard time for the people as unscheduled load shedding of electricity and gas has made their lives miserable. The shortages of power are immense; 12 to 16 hours unscheduled load-shedding in winter is nothing else but seems a joke with the masses. Without electricity and gas cold winter days are becoming unbearable.

It was stated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that government is making all-out efforts to ensure complete end to power outages during its tenure. Chairing a meeting of the cabinet committee on energy in Islamabad Friday, he said addition of more electricity to the national grid before the advent of summer is priority of the government. The prime minister directed to undertake efficient projects to ensure provision of electricity to the consumers at affordable rates. He said alternate energy sources including solar and wind power must be tapped.

In reality government has failed to fulfill the basic needs of the people. Prior to the general elections in 2013, promises were made that shortage of electricity would be controlled within six months. Later it was said that promise was based on emotions and it will take years to eradicate the load-shedding. If the successive governments had done timely planning to meet the supply and demand of power, our country would not have been going through the current gas crisis. But incumbent government has to deliver, people have rational power, they would not be convinced with emotional promises anymore.

Government, its ministries and state institutions are the main culprit behind the mess. In this modern era, it is almost impossible to imagine life without electricity and gas, but it seems government is not aware with this very basic need of the people.