Electricity is a serious problem in today’s Pakistan. The lack of electricity is crippling the country’s socio-economic growth. Activities in our schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, and industries, among others, have come to a halt.
Recently, I had the opportunity of visiting a few universities including my ‘alma mater’ Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Shah Abdul Latif Univesirty Khairpur Mirs and a few other reputed degree and post graduate colleges in the province.
Shockingly, the academic, educational, research and administrative activities in these universities are paralysed. “It is sizzling hot inside the classrooms. We’re willing to work and teach our students, but there’s no power at all” says one professor from the political science department of the University of Sindh, Jamshoro.
I accosted one young lady in the Registrar Office at who told me that she was visiting the varsity for the last two weeks as to get her required testimonials for her admission abroad. Since there was no electricity in the university administration block, hence, the administration (who are usually slow at work) were unable to do anything. The young lady was dejected because the deadline for admission was about to be over. There might be many such cases where the students suffer both financially and physiologically.
The crisis afflicts the entire country but is more acute in certain parts of the country especially Southern Sindh. Both the federal and the provincial governments should address this issue on an emergency basis.
HASHIM ABRO
Islamabad
