Massive power cut plunges Pakistan into darkness

People and rickshaws are silhouetted in vehicles’ headlights on a dark street in Rawalpindi during a widespread power cut in Pakistan (Anjum Naveed/AP)

A major technical fault in Pakistan’s electricity generation and distribution system caused a massive power cut that plunged the country into darkness late on Saturday night, the energy minister said.

Hours after the incident, Omar Ayub said on Twitter that power was being restored in phases, starting with Islamabad.