The country is in the grip of a debilitating energy crisis. Despite this, one sees ruthless misuse of energy right here in the federal capital, Islamabad, both in the public and private sector. One sees the shopkeepers running their shops till late hours of the night and sleeping like rabbits for half the day. Nowhere in the world are shops kept open till late hours of the night. Ours is a nation of late risers that keep late hours in the night, whether at work or play. Late sitting in public sector offices while doing nothing is the norm here. The file work is never done at appropriate time, those responsible for it usually found whiling away their time in gossip over a cup of tea. The government needs to manage the deepening energy crisis but it just cannot convince the nation to do the needful. The Minister for Water & Power needs to establish a Watch Group for Energy Use comprising efficient, young officers with clean reputation. They should have the mandate to pay surprise visits to offices, restaurants, shops and other public places and punish the organisations and establishments that are guilty of abuse of energy. They should have the power to even order disconnection of electricity against an establishment that is found guilty of pilferage or excessive usage of energy. The government needs to take stringent actions otherwise those that wish ill of the democratically-elected government would again jump at its throat and divert the fury of masses against the rulers in Islamabad. -HAHSIM ABRO, Islamabad, March 13