As the managers of the country are now finding it hard to overcome the energy crisis, the citizens are facing the brunt of the government’s failure in form of unending power and gas load-shedding in the country, including the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The life of the people has become miserable due to the government’s wrong policies. “We never faced such difficult times since our country came into existence,” said Muhammad Mustafa, a senior citizen. Sharing their plights with Pakistan Today, the citizens said it had become difficult to reach offices and schools at time due to power and gas load-shedding. “In which direction the country is moving? We have no gas, no electricity; so how can we compete with the other countries of world,” said Mughees, a student.
He said it was a routine now to reach his college late just because of non availability of electricity. “I have changed my routine of taking breakfast as I cannot prepare it when the gas is not available; but the most essential thing is to press the uniform and to make some other arrangements for college, which are not possible without electricity,” he added.
Jamshed Alam, a resident of Sector F/8, complained that severe gas load-shedding was a constant nuisance for the last several days. “We have no option but to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the price of which has been increased to Rs 123 per kilogramme,” he said, adding that the problem became worse when they were deprived of gas and electricity the same time. Another local in Rawalpindi said the gas supply was usually suspended after 6am. “We have to wake up early in the morning to cook food and prepare breakfast for our children,” he added.
To complicate sufferings, power outages have also been increased during the last couple of weeks, forcing the citizens to demand the government to address the issue for ending woes of the masse, who are already unable to adjust themselves in tackling the price hike, unemployment and the suicide attacks. The apathy of the government does not end there, as the prices of fuel are also skyrocketing.
“We have been deprived of our basic rights and now we have no other option except coming out on the streets, protesting and damaging the property.”
However, the government authorities are making claims to end gas and power load-shedding within a year, but economists are of the view that the power generation capacity is more than the demand and the government can overcome the power crisis just by eradicating corruption from the bureaucratic circles.
They say all the projects, which have been halted since 2002, should be started at once as it can help the country to come out of the crisis. Regarding gas load shedding, they are of the view that the government is not working on new explorations, which resulted in severe shortage.
Life miserable in energy-starved country
