Pakistan: Lingering disruptions, power outages ongoing following fire at Sabzazar electrical station in Lahore May 20 /update 1

Lingering disruptions are ongoing following a fire at Sabzazar LESCO grid station in Lahore as of the morning of May 20. The fire has reportedly caused power outages in multiple areas of Lahore, including Allama Iqbal Old Town, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Gulberg, Islampura, Mozang, Sabzazar, and Shahpur. The electricity disruptions are also affecting Lahore Metro's Orange Line services. The cause of the fire remains unclear. There are no reports of casualties. Authorities are working to restore the electricity supply but have not provided a timeline for when services will fully normalize.

Commercial and communications disruptions are possible until technicians fully restore electrical service. Traffic disruptions and longer driving times may occur due to malfunctioning traffic signals. Power outages could also result in the temporary unavailability of essential services, such as hospitals, ATMs, and petrol stations. Outages could adversely affect security protocols, including alarm systems and electronic fences; opportunistic criminal activity could increase during electricity outages.