If only the people of Pakistan were as punctual and disciplined as load-shedding

If only the people of Pakistan were as punctual and disciplined as load-shedding

There are many things the people of Pakistan are known for but punctuality, orderliness and discipline are a few things that we are not known for.

It is for this reason, perhaps, that one element of load-shedding has the nation both frustrated and impressed at the same time.

When the government and WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority) announce the ‘load-shedding schedule’ it is truly a sight to behold how accurately they stick to those timings.

The exact timing of the lights going out is a perfect substitute for watches and clocks, as people need to do is notice that the ‘light’ has gone to know what time it is.

Yet, in a country where the ‘sait’ mentality rules and people with power tend to ignore etiquettes and the entire concept of ‘being on time’, it really is a wonder how strictly and rigidly the load-shedding policies are followed.

If the prescribed time for the one-hour blackout is 1pm, than the nation can rest assured that load-shedding will hit that area at that exact time.

In a way, this is a small blessing for the people, as it has always been the uncertainty factor which was the cause for the most frustration.

This is not me defending load-shedding by any stretch of the imagination, it needs to stop, period, but the fact that people have some peace of mind, in Islamabad at least, is some consolation.

It is when load-shedding hits unannounced and out of the blue, with no one having any idea when the power outage is set to end, that the abuses start flowing and the blood starts boiling.

If one goes to any industrial or commercial area with small shop owners or workers and it is the fact that they do not know when they can get back to earning a livelihood that concerns them the most.

In the end, load-shedding may be a scourge on the country and have a crippling effect on the economy, yet if the concerned authorities handle things better, by showing more transparency and handing out more information as to the causes and timings of the, aforementioned, inconvenience then things could go only slightly smoother

Posted by Musa Afridi on Oct 20 2011. Filed under Opinion, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry