If it weren’t the sweltering heat, protests by the people enraged by load shedding of up to 20 hours a day have sure forced President Asif Ali Zardari to step in and try to reassure the public that the almost perennial problem would be solved soon.
The government was determined to find a quick fix to the problem, he said while addressing his party’s MPAs at Bilawal House in Karachi.
While the electricity deficit has decreased to 6,400MW, the government still seems to be busy in offering only short-term solutions, like the one other day where PM Yousaf Raza Gilani ordered to release Rs 1.5b to the independent power producers. The situation that has consistently been spiraling out of the hands of the government has reached new depths with violent protests across the country. Frantic efforts of the government to control either the load shedding or the protests have yielded in nothing.
The realisation of the need to address the issue is visible in president’s statement: “No matter what successes we may achieve in the political field, in empowering provinces, in constitutional reforms and fighting the militants, the people will judge us by the measure of success in overcoming the power shortages and the government is deeply conscious of it.” Whether his government, whose tenure is in its last few months, would be able to deliver it is yet to be seen.
The gap between the generation and requirement of electricity has put a severe load on the national grid. Many of the grid stations in the country are facing tripping and heavy load just as the mercury has started hitting 46C plus temperature.
High temperature, ironically, has not deterred the protesters in the country who continued their protests and took their anger out on government property and pretty much everything they could lay their hands on.
As the top PPP leadership finally seems to wake up to the public’s demands, protesters in Faisalabad, Punjab’s industrial hub, brought business activities to a halt. One man lost his life while two were injured when a local shop owner’s guard opened fire at the protesters. In reaction, the protesters attacked the shop, a fuelling station and force-shut down business in the Ghanta Ghar area.
In Lahore, protesters in Shahdara area destroyed Lesco’s offices and a toll plaza. The sizzling heat also forced protests in Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Sharqpur and many other cities. These violent protests have at last caught the attention of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who still advocates for protests, only not violent.
He made an appeal to the public not to damage government property as it was not helping them in any way. He, however, was of opinion that protests should continue as a way to both force the central government to acquiesce to the demands of Punjab government and to minimise load shedding in the province.
Not possible under this goverment.
I would like to remind the people of Pakistan that when Benazir Bhutto was aggressively working to increase our capacity to produce electricity during her second tenure, the Opposition led by Nawaz Sharif was scandalising the policy for petty political gains. We were told by Nawaz Sharif that electricity was being purchased at very high rates and also that we did not need so much of it. When he came to power with a manipulated two-thirds majority, he did not arrange any cheaper electricity. In fact, he did not add a single megawatt. He was followed by Musharraf and he continued with the policy of Nawaz Sharif. Now, we know who was working for the people of Pakistan and who was only politicising the issue for personal gains. The man who has to take major burden of our present energy shortage is Nawaz Sharif. The present government has started some short-term projects and also long-term hydel projects. But they will take time to come into production. Then whosoever will be in government will inaugurate the projects and take credit. Needless to say, real credit must go to the present PPP government under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari.
and who bought a unit for 6 cents when bangladesh at same time bought it for 3 cents . please dont tell lies it was was benazir who gave sarray palace and kick backs to zardari but she is in other world so let her face it . dont make every bhutto an angel they were pittiable humans who did nothing for pakistan. zardari is a gift of benazir.
Wonderfully said.
I would like to remind you that the PPP govt. under Benazir Bhutto & this idiot has always been on of the most corrupt govt. we could ever have.
Benazir is INshaAllah paying for her crimes right now & we need to make sure this idiot Zardari joins her soon, along wiht Gilani & Rehman Malik.
Mr.Malick correct reporting based on facts.
Chal chootha!
There is no power shortage. kiayani and gillani have given all their powers to zardari 🙂 There is a shortage of people power though. People who will actually use their power of vote to get these thugs out.
well said.
kiyani has got his 6 years so he is enjoying . zardari is enjoying bcz nawaz and kiani play to zardari tunes.
And dont forget, because both are such cowards. May they burn forever.
Can the national human rights commission take action against president & ruling class? failing to deliver basic amnities to the people?
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