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MULTAN, Jun 01 (APP):With the arrival of summer, the combination of rising electricity usage and poorly maintained wiring systems is turning deadly in South Punjab.
Worn-out insulation, dangerously placed high-tension lines, and a culture of carelessness have made electric shocks a silent but consistent killer, especially for daily wage workers and underage laborers.
In many towns and villages, electricity wires dangle overhead, often tied loosely to rooftops or trees, sometimes passing dangerously close to homes, shops, and construction sites.
Many of these installations date back years, with little to no maintenance. As temperatures rise, the tape covering joints in electric cables softens or falls off, exposing bare wires that remain unnoticed until tragedy strikes.
The situation is worsened by cheaper and unregulated wiring materials. Builders and homeowners often ignore standard safety procedures and prioritize cost-cutting over life-saving precautions.
“We keep telling people to use proper insulation and avoid metal structures near lines, but they don’t listen,” says Pervez Chaudhry, an experienced electrician from Vehari. “In summer, wires expand and sag.
If a rooftop is just a few feet away, the danger is always present.
A small mistake becomes fatal.”
Pervez Chaudhry adds that even in new constructions, proper grounding and circuit protection are often skipped.
“People think it’s unnecessary expense. But one bad connection can take a life.”
This disregard for safety is not limited to construction sites.
Electric poles and distribution boards in many areas are in open spaces, easily accessible to children.
Many don’t even have proper warning signs or barriers.
In some areas, live wires hang just above eye level, held in place with makeshift ropes or exposed on iron poles.
In such a climate of risk, two recent tragedies in Burewala reflect the broader dangers lurking in plain sight.
In one case, a 22-year-old labourer working at a construction site in village 499/EB
was killed instantly when his hand accidentally touched a high-tension line passing close to the building.
In another, a 14-year-old boy, reportedly assisting in wire installation work near Fawara
Chowk, came into contact with a high-voltage line and died on the spot.
While these incidents have shocked the local community, they are part of a pattern. Rescue 1122 sources confirm that electrocution cases rise significantly in summer.
“The increase in electricity load heats the wires, and poor-quality installations start failing,” a Rescue officer said.
“Most victims belong to the labour class who work without protective gear, proper training, or supervision.”
Experts and social activists like Naeem Iqbal Naeem, Mian Majid are now calling for urgent reform.
They urge the government to launch an audit of existing wiring infrastructure in densely populated areas and make it mandatory for construction projects to follow certified safety protocols.
Strict legal action against the employment of minors in hazardous jobs is also being demanded.
Rescue 1122 has issued the following safety recommendations including avoid working under or near electric lines during hot weather.
Always assume a wire is live unless proven otherwise by a professional.
Use wooden or insulated ladders for electrical tasks.
Never allow untrained persons or minors to handle wires or poles.
Report any damaged or exposed cables immediately to local authorities.
South Punjab’s electric system is under stress, both from outdated installations and a widespread casual attitude.
Without immediate steps to upgrade infrastructure and enforce safety laws, lives
will continue to be lost not because of accidents, but because of indifference.
Every wire overhead is a potential danger, and every neglected connection is a countdown to disaster.