All kinds of appeals are being made by our leaders to save electricity; they are telling us to switch off one bulb in each home, turn-off extra lights in the markets and showrooms, refrain from ironing clothes, adjusting the AC thermostats at 26 degrees etc, etc. However, their appeals seem to fall on deaf ears. The reason being that our so-called leaders have neither any vision nor influence. Nor do they set an example themselves for others to emulate. On a single call from Mao Zedong in 1948, the entire Chinese people stopped use of hair oil saving billions of Yuans for China. In the 60s, no place in China -house, hotel or a public place - used electrical fans after midnight. But I suppose they are a nation and those were the leaders. In our case what to talk of appeals even ordinances, orders and curfews are met with scant respect and deservedly so. I believe sometime back the government had ordered markets to close by nine at night. None complied. -COL (Retd) RIAZ JAFRI, Rawalpindi, via e-mail May 19.