THE small town of Khuhra in the Gambat tehsil of Khairpur Mirs district presents a grim tale of neglect. The town faces frequent 14-16 hours of daily power outage, combined with limited gas supply and persistently low-pressure. Women disproportionately bear the brunt of these shortages, with their household responsi-bilities disrupted, while businesses that are already struggling due to tribal conflicts and weak law-enforcement in the area, sink further into stagnation.

Although some residents have turned to solar setups, UPS units, generators and gas cylinders to meet their basic energy needs, the majority remains trapped in energy poverty without such alternatives.

Additionally, the devastation caused by the 2022 heavy rainfall increased the community’s challenges, leaving roads, drainage systems and vital infrastructure severely damaged. The main road linking Khuhra to the National Highway, damaged in the 2022 disaster, remains unsafe due to frequent crimes. Residents are compelled to rely on longer routes via Gambat.

Public transport that had been operating for years has now ceased operations in the area, forcing the people to reach Gambat bypass for travel to Khairpur or Sukkur.

Many residents, disillusioned by years of neglect, feel compelled to migrate, while others have already left in search of better opportunities elsewhere. People are frustrated and angry. They cannot help themselves without decisive intervention from the relevant authorities. Khuhra’s struggles mirror those of many rural communities, where neglect, poor infra-structure and energy poverty continue to hinder progress.

This dire situation demands strong ownership and urgent intervention to address these challenges. The authorities must ensure adherence to the national loadshedding schedule, resolve artificial power and gas outages, and enhance infrastructure quality and development.

Moreover, cellular service providers must improve services, alleviating the hardships faced by the users.

Such measures are essential to the task of restoring basic services, reviving economic activity, and rebuilding hope among the local residents of Khuhra.

Shafqat Hussain Memon
Gambat

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2025