News Update:
How much have bus fares from Karachi to Lahore increased? Punjab announces crackdown on smoke-emitting vehicles Who attended Mahnoor Safdar’s wedding? When will Rabi-us-Sani begin in Pakistan? Major relief for consumers as IESCO limits load shedding Star batter Joe Root breaks Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing test record

Major relief for consumers as IESCO limits load shedding

Zahid Mehmood • September 12, 2026 • Pakistan

The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) has issued directives prohibiting load shedding of more than two hours, in line with instructions from the federal government and the Ministry of Energy.

In compliance with directives issued by the federal government and the Ministry of Energy’s Power Division, IESCO Chief Executive Officer Chaudhry Khalid Mahmood ordered the cancellation of all approved system maintenance shutdowns across the region. He further directed that, in the event of a supply-demand gap, load management in any area must not exceed two hours.

According to an IESCO spokesperson, Chief Engineer (Operations) Zahid Saleem Usmani has been designated as the focal person to ensure an uninterrupted power supply and coordinate responses to any emergencies.

The spokesperson said Chaudhry Khalid Mahmood had instructed all field formations to ensure the uninterrupted supply of electricity to consumers and the prompt resolution of all electricity-related complaints.

Chaudhry Khalid Mahmood also clarified that individual complaints or transformer-related faults should not be mistaken for scheduled load shedding. Consumers facing such issues have been advised to report them immediately through the IESCO helpline at 118.  It is worth mentioning here that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already taken notice of prolonged electricity load-shedding across the country and directed authorities to ensure that power outages do not exceed two hours in any area.

The Prime Minister expressed concern over the increasing duration of load-shedding and instructed the relevant departments to take immediate measures to improve the power supply situation and provide relief to consumers.

A high-level meeting on electricity load management was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed displeasure over the increasing load-shedding in several cities and ordered that power outages be limited to a maximum of two hours in any area.

The meeting was informed that RLNG supplies had been disrupted due to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and logistical challenges, making load management measures necessary to maintain a balance between electricity supply and demand.

The Prime Minister directed the relevant authorities to take immediate measures to address the disruptions in RLNG supplies and minimise their impact on the country’s power sector.