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The country's government says it can't afford to keep up with increasing electricity demand, as more and more people crowd into urban centers. But discontent over blackouts has some workers agitating for a return to military rule.

In India last week, surprise grid failures plunged more than half the country into darkness. But power outages in neighboring Pakistan have been intentional — the result of summertime energy rationing.

Despite billions of dollars in U.S. aid, Pakistan has been unable to keep the lights on. Now the situation is getting worse, with riots erupting over factories forced offline.