The electricity loadshedding situation across the country is worsening by the day, despite repeated promises by the PPP regime during its rule of five years and there appears no relief in sight for the next decade either. What is painful is the fact that instead of doing something to resolve the crisis the rulers had been indulging in massive corruption in the name of rental power projects involving the then federal minister for water and power; who was later elevated to the position of the prime minister. No effort was made to add a single megawatt to the national grid, leave alone to decide to build the much-needed Kalabagh Dam. The bread-basket of the country, the Punjab, suffered specially mandated power cuts of 12 to 18 hours a day to add to the misery of citizens and rendering industries idle. Former Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif repeatedly pointed an accusing finger at the federal government, with caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi also now agreeing that Punjab was indeed being singled out in depriving it of electricity.
It is a good development that caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi has raised the issue, though diplomatically, seeking cooperation of the nation and urging immediate measures to address the bleak scenario. Talking to a delegation of the All-Pakistan Newspaper Society, he said that he had taken some measures at his level and held a meeting with President Zardari seeking his personal influence to improve the ever deteriorating energy situation. Najam Sethi also held a meeting with the caretaker prime minister and minister for water and power urging them to initiate urgent action to provide relief to the people in view of coming heat wave during the summer season. He also listed some decisions taken by his government, including the introduction of two weekly off-days and implementing an energy conservation plan in government departments to save energy. People have again been showing anger over the federal government’s callous attitude. In the recent past, violent mobs ransacked Wapda offices and even set grid stations ablaze. With summer approaching, the situation may simmer to a boil yet again.