Jacobabad braves scorching temperatures, gets no respite from power outages.

SUKKUR -- The Sukkur Electric Power Company subjects Jacobabad, amongst the hottest places in the subcontinent where temperature often shoots up to 52 degrees Celsius, to unannounced and prolonged loadshedding to save electricity for illegal connections corrupt officials have given to industries and influential persons in return for bribe, say protesters.

Activists of different social organisations and trade unions, including Jacobabad Chamber of Commerce, Mazdoor Shehri Ittehad, Electric Union and All Parties Committee, who took out a big rally against chronic loadshedding issue on Thursday, complained that they were not getting electricity supply to their money's worth despite paying bills regularly. Besides, sudden power breakdowns and frequent tripping often damage their costly electronic appliances, they said.

Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto district president Nadeem Qureshi, who had organised the protest, Chamber of Commerce president Mir Ahmed Ali Brohi and others said that despite protests being held by townspeople from time to time, neither Federal Minister for Privatisation Muhammedmian Soomro, who was elected from Jacobabad, nor any functionary of Sepco had taken any step to bring relief to people.

They said that several pole-mounted transformers had developed faults but the Sepco officials had not got them repaired or removed despite passage of more than two weeks.

They alleged that corrupt power utility officials and line staff were supplying electricity to industries and influential persons in return for huge bribes and demanded the federal...