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I don’t know…
The late Eqbal Hassan once said that “Whatever you do, don’t complain?”. This is your country, if you have any issue work and resolve it. But don’t complain.Â
So I am not going to complain. Not that I have anything to complain about. Yes there was no electricity for the last 30 hours but we were planning on working on Sunday in any case and we did. The only change in plan was a sleepover with three sick kids at the office that got extended to 2 nights. At the office the lights were on for 30 hours and when they weren’t, the generator kicked in.
Kids are mashallah better, the electricity is back, and we are on track to meet our 30th June deadline. Ammi, abba (my parents) suffered the most since they opted to stay at home and take KESC head on. Abba says, if it doesn’t kill you, it will only make you stronger.
What did I learn? In the end the indifference in this nation will kill all of us. I don’t think re-nationalizing KESC is a solution. I think we just need to get out of their way, put our personal, political agenda’s aside and let KESC do its job. We have already lost Frank (because we didn’t let him do anything) and the better part of 2 years.Â
The upside. Its still raining in Karachi.
June 25, 2007
Posted in: Desi Back to Desh, Pakistan, Personal shit
6 Responses
Sir,
I don’t think anyone’s getting in the way of KESC. They have failed to do what they promised. They haven’t invested in the supply system infrasturcture as they had promised. Maybe they know they can do it and get away with it since there are no penalty clauses in the privatization deal. I am totally disappointed in SIEMENS though. What ever happened to these Germans?
I pray for your suffering to end. There is always hope
testing
The voice of reason? I don’t know Jawwad. I have tried several times to get out of people’s way so that they will do the job that they are supposed to. My conclusion is that until one jumps up and down, yells oneself hoarse, threatens, etc etc nothing moves. Well maybe I exaggerate … and some things do move … but only SOME things mind you!
KESC has had more than a chance to get its house in order. Why hasn’t it? Is it political? Is it self-interest? Or is it pure incompetence? I don’t know. All i know is that we have to forget about KESC and find a way around the situation. Should we look at affordable, self-generated solar/wind power plants that can be put up in entire neighbourhoods? Let us think out of the box and try and find a solution. I don’t think KESC will.
Jehan and Farooq
I wasn’t clear. In the last four and a half years in this country I have found that there is a very small group of individuals that really cares about what happens to this country and they go out of their way to make things happen.
Every one else who can do anything fights them because it is too much trouble to do anything. Too many questions, too many inquiries, too many pointing fingers. It is safer to not do anything at all. Hence the unwillingness to sign paperwork that is required to feed the paper mill required by our civil services. Case in point – a year old story in Dawn (http://www.dawn.com/2006/07/10/ebr13.htm).
So when I said, lets get out of their way, I meant that the powers that be who in their infinite wisdom have ensured that no power project worth powering an energy saver lamp could get signed, approved or launched. It’s this group that needs to be taken to the courts, publicly lynched and hanged – not KESC. When you meet them on the street, they are all educated, reasonable, upstanding citizens. Give them a paper and ask them to sign it and they turn into indifferent monsters. I know, I am one of them.
We knew that this crisis was coming and every single government including the current one did jack to address it.
I also agree that the short term solution is outside of KESC. Diesel generators, community wind and solar power projects, greener buildings… But that works for a very small % of our communities. In the end KESC and the state of power in this country needs to be fixed before it kills us all.
Sir,
That last part about renewable energy is the way to go. This thing has created alot of interest for me. One of these days i’ll try to put together whatever i have gathered in global and Pakistani context on a blog or something.
Jawwad totally agree that KESC/WAPDA need to be fixed as does the transportation system because self generation will only help limited communities. But how do we go about it? We need to convince the educated illiterate powers that be to move ahed with the power projects. Do you think a community-led campaign will help?
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