This refers to statements by Senator Raza Rabbani and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar demanding re-takeover of the privatised KESC during the Senate session on May 11 in order to resolve the problem of shortfall of electricity. Strange that these two parliamentarians have failed to see what horror the shackles of bureaucratic control have rendered to Wapda, PIA, Railways and all other public service organisations. Anyone who has recently travelled to cities outside Karachi can stand witness to the fact that the quantum of loadshedding, unannounced outages, technical faults, etc., in Karachi is much less than any other city in the country, where electricity is not available for 12 to 18 hours a day. The two honourable public representatives must take into account the ground realities before speaking on issues of public interest. I am sure Mr Rabbani and Ms. Khar would have a better idea about the condition of organisations that are under government control if, for example, they were to travel in Khyber Mail from Karachi to Peshawar or spent only one hot summer night in a small town without an airconditioner or fan.
Only recently the temperature in Karachi was over 42 degrees centigrade, yet there was no unannounced loadshedding as compared to massive power outages in the rest of the country. All respectable parliamentarians should consider such factors before taking the floor on public issues like power shortage.
SYED OVAIS AKHTAR,
Karachi, May 15.