Pakistan plunged into darkness as national power grid breaks down

A breakdown in Pakistan’s national power grid plunged the country into darkness on Saturday night, officials said.

“A countrywide blackout has been caused by a sudden plunge in the frequency in the power transmission system,” Pakistan’s Power Minister Omar Ayub Khan said on Twitter.

He said efforts were underway to determine the reasons behind the situation, and asked people across the country to remain calm.

Major cities, including Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, were among those affected.

Mr Khan later said that power had been restored in some regions, including the city of Peshawar.

He added that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the blackout.

Main Photo: A general view of the blackout after fault developed in power transmission lines in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA-EFE/REHAN KHAN