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- Thousands of Shia Muslims across Pakistan take part in religious gatherings, processions in Muharram
- Power ministry orders DISCOs to ensure availability of operational staff in Muharram to resolve complaints
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Energy Ministry has issued directives to distribution companies (DISCOs) and other authorities to ensure uninterrupted supply of power throughout Muharram to facilitate religious gatherings, state media reported on Thursday.
Thousands of Pakistani Shia Muslims each year take part in religious processions and organize mourning gatherings to pay tribute to Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was martyred in the Battle of Karbala during the first 10 days of Muharram.
Pakistan suffers from an energy crisis that causes lengthy power outages in several parts of the country, especially during summers. Pakistan also lacks adequate resources to run its oil-and-gas-powered plants and imports most of its fuel at expensive rates from abroad.
“On the directions of Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) has issued a comprehensive set of operational directives to all Distribution Companies (DISCOs), the National Power Control Center (NPCC), and the National Grid Company (NGC) to guarantee the uninterrupted supply of electricity throughout the sacred month of Muharram-ul-Haram,” the Press Information Department (PID) said in a report.
It emphasized providing uninterrupted power supply to people on the 9th and 10th of Muharram, the days of Ashura, when the main religious processions are taken out in most cities across Pakistan.
The energy ministry directed DISCOs to hold immediate consultative meetings with district administration authorities, management committees, and law enforcement agencies. The ministry has directed each DISCO to obtain lists of venues for Shia religious gatherings and procession routes from local administrations across all districts.
It said the chief engineer (operation) of every DISCO has been designated as the overall in-charge who would be responsible to monitor the continuity of electricity supply, while dedicated focal persons will be nominated to maintain real-time coordination with civil and security authorities, and community representatives.
“All DISCOs have been instructed to complete maintenance of the electric network and distribution transformers serving Majaalis and Imam Bargahs no later than the 7th of Muharram-ul-Haram,” the PID said.
“Hanging wires along procession routes are to be urgently rectified to eliminate any risk of mishap, and all procession routes are to be made electrically safe before the commencement of the processions.”
The power ministry has also said that round-the-clock control rooms will be set up at multiple administrative tiers to oversee Muharram operations. It ordered DISCOs not to grant leaves to their operational staff during Muharram.
“Additional teams are to be deployed at Circle and Division levels to supplement response capacity in case of any heightened emergency,” the PID said, adding that the power ministry has instructed the NGC to ensure seamless power delivery to all DISCOs.