Power shortage has suddenly become the biggest misfortune of this country. The shortage started in last days of the ousted General. It has grown since to alarming proportions. Today we do not have a loadshedding schedule but a 'supply-on' schedule. Can anyone explain to me what has happened all of a sudden? Has industrial production grown phenomenally, five or six times over? Or has power generation stopped altogether? Has power been smuggled to Afghanistan - the usual excuse for a shortage, or India has done some damage - another favourite whipping boy of ours? The answer to these questions is negative. The truth is that it is all a farce being staged by the government to divert people's attention away from the domestic enigma. All this is being done to stop people from thinking about the real problems and real issues. This is a grand cover up. No doubt the General ruined our country thoroughly but this sort of power shortage is a bit much. What are they trying to hide? -AMJAD HABIB MIRZA, Lahore, via e-mail, October 20.