VIP rooms lit, operation theatres dark: Surgeon flags contrast in Pak power crisis

A Pakistani surgeon has exposed the grim reality of the country’s deepening power crisis, alleging that patients inside operation theatres at Services Hospital were left in the dark due to a power outage, while VIP rooms continued to receive uninterrupted electricity through generators.

In a video message, the surgeon said that generator fuel had run out in the operation theatres even as surgeries were underway. “We are from Services Hospital. This is the operation theatre. Three types of patients are here, and their surgeries are ongoing. At this moment, the generator oil has run out. VIP block generators are running, but the generators for operation theatres have stopped. We do not know how these patients will survive. This is the condition of this country. For the past 30 minutes, we do not know what to do with these patients,” the surgeon said, highlighting the disparity between facilities for privileged and poor patients.

The incident comes as Pakistan reels under a massive electricity crisis, with large parts of the country facing unannounced outages lasting up to 15 hours. Public frustration is mounting, with locals from various cities reporting outages far beyond official schedules. While authorities claim that load shedding is limited to around 2 to 2.5 hours during peak evening periods, the ground reality tells a different story.

Between April 16 and 17, urban areas experienced 3 to 8 or more hours of power cuts, often without prior notice, while rural regions faced outages stretching from 10 to 16 hours or more, in some cases with near-hourly disruptions. Even areas expected to have stable electricity supply have reported repeated breakdowns, raising serious questions about the implementation of official plans.

Major cities such as Lahore and Karachi are among the worst affected. Lahore, under LESCO, is witnessing 3 to 8 hours of frequent outages. Faisalabad is reporting 5 to 8 hours in the city, with higher durations in rural belts. Multan and South Punjab are facing some of the longest cuts, ranging from 10 to 16 hours. Islamabad and Rawalpindi are experiencing 4 to 8 hours of outages, exceeding official claims, while Peshawar and nearby rural areas are reporting 10 to 16 or more hours. In Karachi, supplied by K-Electric, outages range from 2 to over 12 hours depending on locality, with other regions such as Kasur, Jhang, and parts of Balochistan also severely affected.

The crisis has been driven by a sharp power shortfall of around 3,400 MW. Electricity demand has surged from 9,000 MW in early April to nearly 20,000 MW, while supply has dropped due to disruptions in LNG availability.

Pakistan’s Federal Power Minister, Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, said that gas supply to most LNG-based plants has been affected due to the ongoing Gulf situation. He added that plants with a capacity of 6,000 MW are currently generating only about 500 MW, significantly reducing overall output.

To manage the shortfall, the government is turning to expensive alternatives such as furnace oil, but supply constraints continue to limit relief. Rising summer temperatures, reduced hydropower generation, and fuel supply disruptions have further worsened the situation, while the government remains cautious about increasing tariffs.

The unfolding crisis has triggered protests and widespread criticism, with many comparing it to Pakistan’s severe power crisis of 2011. The surgeon’s account from Services Hospital has become a stark symbol of the breakdown in essential services, underscoring how the ongoing energy crisis is not just disrupting daily life but also putting lives at risk.

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