Karachi’s woes
Madam,
Karachi, the financial hub of Pakistan, has been facing water supply issues for decades. The city is now facing electricity problems. In 2005, General (R) Musharraf and his prime minister privatised Karachi Electric Supply Company to rid it of pilferages and corruption causing losses in excess of Rs66 Billion. It was given to Kingdom Holding, a Riyadh-based Saudi conglomerate. In 2009, Kingdom Holding was facilitated by the Pakistan Peoples Party government to sell 72.5 percent of its stock to Abraaj Capital, a private equity firm based in Dubai, which has now sold 66.4 percent of its stock to Shanghai Electric for $1.77 Billion.
Privatisation is successful in the developed world because of state-empowered regulation controls and good corporate governance coupled with strict accountability through solid systems of oversight by independent regulators. Assertive regulatory controls, through qualified inspectors with integrity and 24/7 oversight alone ensures fruits of privatization are enjoyed by all. Political appointees and ghost employees must be screened out for K-Electric and KWSB to deliver. In the absence of such measures privatisation opens door to nefarious practices and this is what happened with K-Electric. Abraaj agreed to inject over $361 million but managed to absolve itself in connivance with elected public office holders. Electricity theft in Karachi and interior Sindh is almost 70 percent and in such circumstances neither privatisation, nor state-owned distribution can perform.
Karachi’s Tanker Mafia originated from statutory housing society Defence Housing Authority, but now holds the entire city hostage. It has become a multi-billion business patronised by powerful individuals who seem to be more powerful than the state. Citizens of Karachi pay water charges levied by KWSB, but water rarely flows through the taps and instead it is supplied through tankers filled from water hydrants in the city.
Ali Malik Tariq,
Lahore.
Talk To Me
Madam,
In these hopeless times, where chaos is all around us, Adeel Chaudhry has taken a great initiative by starting Talk To Me, Pakistan’s first counseling hotline. Adeel knew that there were no specialised services in Pakistan which provide care to cater to those suffering from mental health problems. This gave him the idea to start Talk To Me. They have amazing counselors who deal with obsessive compulsive disorders, depression addictions and self-harm. Many people have benefited from this innovative campaign, including one client who said, “My therapist was brilliant! I don’t think therapy over the telephone could be effective, but it was!” I am amazed by their efforts. I appreciate their contribution to the society.
Ayesha Rafique,
Karachi.
KP’s education troubles
Madam,
The government of Pakistan has consistently failed to equip children of this country with the skills they need to succeed as responsible members of the society. Pakistan’s education sector neither has the resources nor the funds to deal with the demands and the needs of the burgeoning youth. According to a report by Alif Ailaan, 51 percent of girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are not in school. It is true that the government has spent billions on infrastructure. They have constructed walls and toilets and added many amenities. Still, primary and middle level schools are far from ideal. It is time that lawmakers of this country start taking this issue seriously.
Adnan Dost,
Karachi.
What about loyalty?
Madam,
Nadeem Afzal Chan was always considered to be a politician ideologically committed to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and his vision of a democratic Pakistan committed to the welfare of the masses. After ZAB’s hanging, Nadeem Chan stood by Benazir Bhutto through thick and thin, withstanding the pressure exerted on his family by Musharraf’s regime.
Since BB’s assassination, he has had reservations over the choice of corrupt cronies like Sharjeel Memon, Asim Hussain and numerous others involved in massive corruption scams. When funds allocated for socio economic development projects dedicated to welfare of deprived masses started evaporating, ideological political activists were perturbed. Appointment of corrupt, semi-literate cronies like Moeen Aftab, Aijaz Haroon Memon, Yusafzai as heads of state-owned corporations like PSM, PIA, CAA, PSO perturbed the few loyalists in the party. Reports of jobs being sold to those having fake degrees shocked them.
One only hopes that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stands up to defend the political legacy of his late grandfather and mother and prevent it from being squandered by the likes of Sharjeel Memon, Fazalullah Pecheuo, Faryal Talpur and corrupt bureaucracy.
Aneela Chandio,
Sukkur.