How Faulty Wiring Endangers Lives in South Punjab

M Atif Ismail

Multan: As summer tightens its grip on South Punjab, a silent menace coils overhead — frayed wires, sagging cables, and neglected infrastructure that threaten lives every day.

For countless families, especially in small towns and villages, the simple act of stepping outside or working a shift on a rooftop can turn into a fatal gamble.

In narrow lanes and rural outskirts, electricity lines sway between rooftops and trees, often knotted with ropes or barely insulated. Many of these lines were laid years ago and have not seen maintenance since. With temperatures soaring and power consumption spiking, the fragile web of exposed cables is cracking under pressure.

Deadly Overheads

“This is not just neglect — it’s slow violence,” says Naeem Iqbal Naeem, a social activist who has been documenting electrocution incidents in the region. “Every wire dangling from a pole or home is a life hanging by a thread.”

The danger grows more acute in the summer months. Heat causes wires to expand and sag, often bringing them dangerously close to rooftops, scaffolding, and metal railings. Makeshift insulation, often just electrical tape, melts or slips off — leaving live wires bare and deadly.

“We keep telling people to use proper insulation and avoid putting metal pipes near electric lines, but they don’t listen,” says Pervez Chaudhry, a veteran electrician from Vehari. “People think they are saving money. What they’re really doing is gambling with their lives.”

Tragedies Hidden in Plain Sight

That gamble has already claimed lives this season. In Burewala’s village 499/EB, a 22-year-old labourer was electrocuted while working at a construction site.

The high-tension wire that killed him had been running just feet away from the upper floor. In a separate incident near Fawara Chowk, a 14-year-old boy — reportedly helping with wire installation — came into contact with a live cable and died on the spot.

These incidents shocked the community, but to rescue workers, they are tragically familiar.

“Electrocution cases spike in the summer,” says a Rescue 1122 officer. “The increase in load heats the wires, and poor installations start to fail. Most victims are daily wage workers — people without safety gear, training, or even the right to refuse dangerous work.”

The Infrastructure Crisis

Experts agree that South Punjab’s electric infrastructure is crumbling under both age and apathy. Old poles without warning signs, open distribution boxes in public areas, and wires hanging at eye level are common sights. Despite these risks, construction standards remain alarmingly loose.

“In many new buildings, people don’t bother with grounding or circuit protection,” Chaudhry adds. “It’s seen as a luxury, not a necessity. But one short circuit can cost a life.”

Even more disturbing is the presence of underage workers on construction and electrical sites — a practice that continues with impunity despite child labour laws.

A Call for Urgent Reform

Activists like Mian Majid are demanding a comprehensive government response. “We need a full audit of existing electrical infrastructure, particularly in low-income areas,” he says. “Enforcement of certified safety protocols in all construction must be non-negotiable.”

They also call for stringent legal action against employers who expose minors to hazardous work environments. Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 has issued public safety guidelines urging citizens to:

Never work under or near electric lines in hot weather.

Assume all wires are live unless checked by professionals.

Use insulated or wooden ladders for electrical tasks.

Never allow children or untrained persons to handle electrical work.

Immediately report exposed or damaged cables to authorities.

A Crisis of Indifference

At its core, the rising tide of electrocutions is not merely a technical failure — it’s a societal one. It reflects a broader culture of cost-cutting, negligence, and lack of accountability.

Every wire left loose, every pole without a warning sign, and every child made to handle a live connection is part of a preventable crisis. Without immediate reforms in infrastructure and a cultural shift towards valuing safety over savings, the region will continue to pay the price — in lost lives and broken families.

As temperatures continue to rise, so too does the urgency. The danger isn’t just above — it’s all around. And it’s no longer just an accident waiting to happen. It’s a tragedy unfolding in plain sight.

The feature story was released by APP. All information provided in this report is the sole responsibility of the organization.