The worst load shedding, the most expensive electricity in history, and the outrage of the common people against the elite and official class’s unauthorized facilities of free electricity based on their expenses are causing protests across all small and large cities of the country.
Under the leadership of the PML-N, the allied government of PDM, with the increase in electricity prices and heavy taxes of all kinds added to the electricity bills, has resulted in extreme unrest, anxiety, and turmoil throughout the nation.
The outcome of the short-sighted policy of shifting all the burdens from the elite to the general public and the business community, under the title of tough decisions, has left the people burdened by the expenses of the state and government, and they no longer have the strength and capacity to bear any further burden.
This dire situation has forced the people to take to the streets, leading to a series of attacks on the distribution companies’ employees, offices, and installations along with the burning of electricity bills, which is gradually gaining momentum as a nationwide movement.
The economic downturn has already plunged the country into a severe crisis, and now due to the high cost of electricity and the burden of heavy and excessive bills, the country is showing signs of escalating political, social, and humanitarian crises.
Around the world, it’s a universal principle that the cost of a service or commodity is recovered from the consumer, but in Pakistan, the corrupt rulers and aristocracy have imposed a law of the jungle where they provide such facilities to themselves that burden the general public with additional “undrunk wine” and charge for services and facilities that they have never dreamed of. Meanwhile, those who do not enjoy these privileges do not pay their fair share.
The unjust, unfair, and illicit policy of providing free electricity in electricity bills has given birth to a grave humanitarian crisis throughout the nation.
Although electricity is expensive per unit, if the charges for used units were to be collected, such large-scale problems wouldn’t have emerged. In reality, the problems have been created by including various heavy taxes and service charges unrelated to electricity usage in the electricity bills, which is entirely unjust, excessive, unauthorized, and unlawful.
One thing’s bill can’t be charged based on the value of other things. Isn’t this an extreme and tyrannical use of state power? Ultimately, who are these extremely tyrannical and merciless people in power who are relentlessly imposing all kinds of oppression and injustice on the people on behalf of the state?
For this worst oppression, the excuse is that the economy is in ruins, there’s pressure to repay IMF loans, but the question is: how long will this excuse continue to burden the people? Is this the only solution to the problem?
A burden can be placed on someone according to their capacity, exceeding that is oppression and injustice. The state currently practices this oppression against the people, who are now stepping out in protest against it.
This unjust principle of “someone does, someone pays” has engulfed people’s lives. People are now also unable to bear a share in repaying the IMF loans, which are being used for the extravagant lifestyles of the two percent powerful elites rather than benefiting the people.
The major cause of the electricity crisis is said to be line losses and circular debt, but it hasn’t been discussed that the line losses in electricity distribution are occurring due to the misuse of free electricity by various government officials. The misuse of this power is not insignificant and has a significant impact on the pockets of the people and the cost of electricity.
According to a report, during just one year, only the employees of one department, WAPDA, flew away with 8 billion 19 crore rupees worth of free electricity. If we extrapolate this to all institutions, from the judiciary to the military, and consider the expenses of those officials who receive free electricity, where does this practice end?
The major drawback of the free electricity facility is that there’s no sense of ownership for something given for free. This is the reason that as a result of this facility, the excessive and unnecessary use of electricity and extreme wastage have led to stories of extravagance, fueling anxiety, helplessness, and frustration among the people. A video of a WAPDA officer from Faisalabad has gone viral on social media, where it can be seen that the bill for the officer’s use of 1547 used units is just one thousand fifty-six rupees, whereas a common citizen pays eighty-six thousand three hundred forty-three rupees for the same usage. A comparison with the gardens of springtime in paradise.
This worst class discrimination caused by load shedding and the severe restlessness it creates can transform into anarchy, corruption, and chaos. The need is to strive for progress through fair and balanced policies and to burden the people only to the extent of their capability and capacity.
All day long, sitting in air-conditioned offices, the officers are enjoying lavish perks, long holidays, and electricity theft, while the poor, economically devastated nation is standing with a plate of extreme poverty and a wealthy nation, burdened with the expenses of the black and white rulers, is unable to tolerate it. This spectacle of blowing air into homes must be put to an end once and for all.
