30-hour blackout in Kohat after transformer collapse at Bakaizai Chowk

KOHAT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Feb, 2026) Electricity supply to Bakaizai Chowk in Kohat remained suspended for more than 30 hours after a transformer pole collapsed late Sunday night, plunging the busy locality into prolonged darkness. The incident occurred when the heavy structure fell onto the road, bringing down an 11,000-volt high-voltage line and triggering widespread disruption; however, no casualties were reported.

Eyewitnesses said the pole—locally known as a khamba—was struck by a dumper truck, snapping instantly and sending the transformer crashing heavily to the ground. Live wires reportedly scattered dangerously across the roadway, consequently sparking panic among residents and severely disrupting traffic flow in the commercial hub. The dramatic collapse, moreover, exposed glaring vulnerabilities in roadside infrastructure.

Despite the passage of over 30 hours, repair teams from the power utility had not fully restored the system by Monday afternoon. As a result, the extended outage has caused acute water shortages, significantly affecting household routines and small businesses alike. Residents described the situation as alarming and unacceptable, urging authorities to act swiftly and responsibly.

Locals appealed to Shehryar Afridi and Dawood Shah Afridi to intervene for the urgent restoration of electricity and water supply. They further warned that the damaged infrastructure continues to pose a serious risk; therefore, comprehensive repair work must be carried out immediately to avert any untoward incident.

APP/azq/378