ISLAMABAD: People have come out in great numbers as what they are earning is far less than they are supposed to pay in the shape of electricity bills dispatched by power companies, especially in the recent months.
The widespread protests in Pakistan made the government call an emergency meeting with the caretaker Prime Minister sitting in the chair. The meeting, for the second round today, has been called to discuss ways and means to give relief to the masses who have come out angrily against the utility providers.
“This has never happened… we were able to sustain ourselves. It was difficult even then but now it is beyond our reach,” said one person who sold his daughter’s gold earrings to pay the bill.
There has also been a report about two brothers having an altercation over excessive bills that resulted in one brother killing the other and was later found wailing on his dead body.
This is happening in Pakistan where the service providers have been so callous in their approach that it is forcing people to commit suicide.
There has been a reaction to this excessive billing as well where people besides burning their bills walk towards the offices and burn them to ashes.
The repressive tool in making life miserable for the majority of the masses has also raised alarms for workers who have been assigned with the job to drop the bills. At many places, the staff was beaten and bills torn. People are also protecting their property that is the meter which is installed with all money paid up front while the rent that is charged and mentioned in the bill is now being questioned.
There are few questions raised by the commoner for the authority as now the bills are being scrutinized through the public eye. The masses are already in a sour mood as the service provider which has outgrown the size of a ‘white elephant’ to a gigantic ‘dinosaur’ has questions for authority as under what provisions the employees of the company get free electricity amounting in billions of rupees which is directly placed on ordinary citizens.
These illegitimate perks should now end and the same goes for the facilities to others in various sectors who without any thought mercilessly use and abuse public resources.
The move is there to increase the pay of the public service sector including those who use official vehicles and destroy them without a thought while their own cars are in mint and prime condition.
The public says if they want to sit in the official car they should buy it and as a provision they should get the money for the vehicle deducted from their salaries and the junkyard in government departments will exist no more where only theft prevails.
The angry public has now a list of questions for Wapda and the sooner it is addressed the better as failing to do so may result in consequences that could be disastrous resulting in fatalities.
The few questions for authorities concerned are if the bill is paid what is the tax on it? The fuel adjustment charges, the duty on electricity, the duty on the units that are paid, the fee for the television while the majority use cable, the bills are paid monthly what is with quarterly adjustment charges, extra charges are on what and what is further charge.
The public sentiment can be gauged by the fact that one angry person stated the only charge they should add and should stand at the top of the list is an extra charge to bury this dinosaur and we as the whole of Pakistan will gladly dig its (Wapda) grave and contribute in it.
The common man is unaware the stately decisions are made without having the public in mind and even if they want to give some or any of relief the dire situation calls for drastic measures. International Monetary Fund terms and conditions which the government of Pakistan has signed on the whole are viewed by a common man as pledging the future of the ‘state’.
The way out is simple public is making demands the privileged class face the brunt and their perks should be removed once and for all as the service that is done by them has resulted in Pakistan being faced with this situation that has never happened before.
