Discrimination Against Balochistan In Electricity Supply Should Be Stopped

Courtesy: The Balochistan Point

On Monday, Farmers of Balochistan blocked all major roads in protest against electricity load shedding. According to their claim, they have lost Rs. 147 billion in agriculture products due to 23 hours of daily load shedding. Balochistan is the biggest victim of electricity load sheddingand this fact is not very well known in rest of Pakistan. Both Federal government and provincial government of Balochistan are not bothered about the sufferings of people of Balochistan due to excessively long hours of load shedding.

Balochistan is the biggest victim of load shedding in Pakistan

Courtesy: The Nation

Electricity load shedding is a major issue in the entire country. Violent protests against long hours of load shedding are a normal occurrence, especially during summers. Every now and then, local offices of electricity distribution companies are ransacked by protestors. These sorts of scenes are witnessed mainly in Punjab and sometimes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). However, a lesser known fact is that Balochistan is the biggest victim of load shedding in Pakistan, all year round.

Electricity Crisis in Balochistan

Courtesy: The Baloch Hal

The word Balochistan has become synonymous with crisis and problems in present day Pakistan. There are a lot of problems faced by Balochistan ranging from insurgency, deprivation, kidnappings for ransom, corruption and complete collapse of government machinery amongst other problems. However, one problem in Balochistan often overshadowed by security related problems is the electricity crisis of the troubled province. Electricity crisis is a major problem for entire Pakistan but in Balochistan its much bigger crisis and beyond control to say the least. 

CM Punjab: A show Off

Chief Minister(Cm) Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif and self-proclaimed Khadim-e-Aala(Chief Servant) has been doing unique protests. He has setup a camp office in the lawn of Minar-Pakistan in Iqbal Park Lahore in order to protest long hours of electricity failure. He is know to be a good administrator at times but his latest acts have proved him a Show Off.

Shehbaz Sharif is the Cm of Punjab for the second time. Overall he has held this post for six years. He is second-in-command of PML-N, his elder brother Nawaz Sharif being its chief. He is a very strong Cm and enjoys full powers unlike rest of the CMs. He currently holds 15 ministries along with being chief executive of Punjab. He doesn't attend Punjab assembly session regularly and don't convene meeting of his cabinet. Shehbaz Sharif is running a one man show in Punjab in a dictatorial manner.

Electricity crisis in Pakistan: Problems and Solution

Date: 9^th April 2012

 Long hours of load shedding started in entire Pakistan from last month. The duration of Load shedding was longest in Punjab. Even now the problem persists and everyday there are violent protests against Load shedding in different cities of Punjab. Complying with its past practices this government has failed to provide any slightest relief to the people in this situation. This grave problem doesn't seem to end anytime sooner. 

Electricity load shedding started to take place during Musharraf’s regime. Before that there were only occasional electricity outbreaks. Since then every year, especially in summer, people face long hours of electricity outbreak. Incumbent PPP government in its initial years announced to end this crisis in 2010 but it didn’t happen like many of its announcements. According to the independent researches and findings this problem can’t be completely solved till 2018[1]. However people can consume uninterrupted supply of electricity in periods of low demand such as winter. Now-a-days demand is not as high as it would be in peak of summer. Therefore, current load shedding of more than 12 hours is beyond comprehension.