Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Too early to celebrate! Many are overly focused on the Biden win. To focus on the fact that he lost is to ignore the real threat. It is to ignore the fact that the ideology he supports is stronger today than it was four years ago. He got 10 million more votes than he did last time. The people have said that sure, we did not win this time, but more believe in him today than they did four years ago. I am afraid the fight to make America great again has just begun. It is not yet time to celebrate. My guess is this loss will spur his supporters into fighting even harder to regain lost ground. Now is not the time to become complacent. Democrats and Republicans are currently deadlocked for control of the Senate. Democrats have kept the House but are unlikely to expand their majority, despite predictions of another blue wave. The Supreme Court is currently one shaped by Trump and will place hurdles and blocks at every step for Biden. Currently there are 26 Republican Governors and 25 Democrats. And that is not the half of it.COVID-19 is likely to get much worse before it gets any better until Biden takes over and has any chance of putting his strategy in place. President-elect Joe Biden has defeated President Donald Trump, but his inauguration isn’t until January 20, 2021. Until then, there are no signs that Trump will give up any levers of power early — if anything, the opposite is true, as Trump now contests the election results. So Trump’s failed response to Covid-19 will continue, unchecked, over the next couple of months. The US’s coronavirus epidemic is already among the worst in the world, with a death toll from Covid-19 that now stands above 240,000. It’s fall, and winter is coming, both bringing several issues that could make America’s outbreak even worse: Schools will continue to reopen, the cold will push people into poorly ventilated indoor spaces in which the virus can spread more easily, the holidays will bring families together in potential superspreading events, and a possible flu season could further strain health care systems. Now is not the time to celebrate victory, since that could lead to the thought that the worse is past. It is not. It will take years to undo all that Trump has done. Now is the time to tell Biden supporters to buckle up and hunker down. Because that is exactly what Trump and his supporters are going to do.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Wateen is undergoing voluntary restructuring and has delisted from the Karachi Stock Exchange because it was unable to meet its debt payments and did not have the necessary liquidity to carry on its day to day operations. Not a good sign for the Etisalat Group in Pakistan. And now it seems the end is near for Warid as well. According to a story published on paklogger.com, a popular Pakistani IT portal – and quoting Reuters - Warid is up for sale and the interested parties – according to Reuters – are the Etisalat Group themselves and a local player, China Mobile, which people know as Zong. According to Paklogger, an unnamed PTA official says that the deal may already have been finalised with Etisalat. But it has also been confirmed from sources that the Warid top management will be off to Dubai this week and while the company is silent now, we can expect some kind of a statement as early as the start of next week. Now, according to the story posted on paklogger, Reuters is quoting ‘sources familiar with the matter’. This is interesting because some market sources say that Etisalat itself has leaked this story in an attempt to affect the valuation of Warid. Until some time back, Zong was quite interested in Warid, as buying up the operation would have catapulted Zong to the number two slot in Pakistan. But recently, sources in the company have hinted that the price is not right. Telenor is not very interested, and it shouldn’t be. Recent growth trends show that it is doing very well on its own, having overtaken Ufone to become the second-largest player in the market. Ufone could use this opportunity to regain that position and according to Reuters, Walid Irshaid, the chief executive of PTCL has confirmed that the company is weighing a potential bid. Mobilink is apparently keeping a close eye on what is going on, but so far there are no indications that it is a likely contender for acquiring the struggling Warid. But it will all boil down to price. Etisalat could end up buying up the operation unless Warid lowers its price, because whoever buys up what is now the smallest tlecom operator in Pakistan will also be taking on a sizeable amount of liabilities.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Overheard in passing

Ok, the following is not my content. It was sent to me by someone qand if anyone wants to know I can provide them with the email contact of this benefactor. I have no idea if any of this is true or not, but it is certainly very interesting, so read on, and enjoy the satisfaction that only rumours can bring.

THIS IS WHAT AMBASSADORS of USA, INDIA and PAKISTAN Report
Memo #3 US Ambassador Robert Munter

From: Robert Munter
US Ambassador to Pakistan
Islamabad, Pakistan
To: Assistant Secretary of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affair
Department of State
Washington, DC
Date: December 31, 2010
Re: Pakistan the first quarter

Having been in Pakistan since October, I am forwarding a brief review of my first personal impressions.
1) View about America: Survey after survey has shown that the populace at large has very unfavorably views about US government and policy. The perception in the corridors of power is very different. Given their propensity to focus on conspiracy theories most have a notion of US influence in Pakistan that far exceeds our real capabilities. Sometimes I feel as the “Governor General” from a bygone past caught in a historic time warp. From the highest office down to mid level functionaries, perception becomes reality, when it comes to viewing US as the kingmaker. This mostly helps us in stacking the deck of cards in our favor but also works against us at times when diplomacy is seen as failing. Our dilemma is that our policy objectives are incongruous with popular sentiment of the people in Pakistan. Changing this is not merely a matter of perception and has to be more than a public relations exercise. It will require a significant change in our strategic trajectory.
2) The Social divide: Having served in Iraq I have experienced the divide between the elites and the common citizen, which is quite typical of the Middle East and South Asian countries. In Pakistan however it takes unparalleled heights. My first private party at a key ministers residence, the opulent lifestyle was in full contrast to the plight of those serving us. White gloved waiters were standing with ashtrays so that the corpulent minister and guests could smoke their Cuban cigars at will, and with utmost disdain flicker the ash at random intervals to be caught by the gloved waiters with unsurpassed dexterity. Alcohol, which is, otherwise not publicly displayed in this Islamic country was flowing from an open bar. Our hosts were shocked that most American guests did not drink. I was taken aback at the presence of so many blond Pakistani women, on inquiring was told by our bemused social secretary about the miracle of peroxide and modern hair coloring which seems to be the fashion statement of the day for well groomed (sic) modern Pakistani women. As we pulled out to leave, the sight of an army of drivers, was something to behold, huddled in the frigid night until the wee hours, for their masters to terminate their fracas. Service is legitimate but this smacked of servitude, opprobrium reminiscent of attitudes of European aristocracy and our own experience with slavery.
3) Hypocrisy a new dimension: I was stunned to hear form a very senior political functionary about US interference in the internal affairs of the country. When pointed out that this interference could be curtailed if the Government of Pakistan would refuse to take Billions of Dollars in US aid annually, his response was that monies were for services rendered in the fighting terrorism. Purloin of developmental funds to support the prodigious lifestyle of the ruling elite seems to be the normative. This can be only rationalized as a self-entitled narcissism of a collective of people with a rapacious appetite to loot the country.
4) The common man: My contact has been limited but even with limited exposure they continue to amaze me. In abject poverty and mired in the maelstrom of illiteracy they display a dignity and authenticity that is in stark contrast to the capriciousness of the pseudo westernized elites. Hospitable to a fault and honest despite being in the vortex of poverty the common everyday people of Pakistan display great ingenuity to survive against formidable odds. A gristle of the soul, that must come from a past rooted in spiritual life of a different sort.
5) Democracy: In Pakistan democracy has taken a dimension that borders on mockery of true representative government. The elected representatives come almost exclusively for the elite and privileged class. Rather than representing the populace they are more like local regional ‘viceroys’ representing the federal government and their own vested interests in the regions. Most are in politics not with a sense of public service but more to maximize the opportunity to make money, which they do with total disdain. The mainstream political parties are oligarchies controlled by the founding patriarchs or their heirs. One wonders if this is the model, we seek to perpetuate? Given my background as a history professor I have my druthers.
6) Alchemy of change: The polarization in the society makes significant change likely in the near future but given the deficit of leadership and organization it is not inevitable. This situation is unlikely to be remedied in the short term. If such a leadership were to emerge then conflict between the polarized segments would likely ensue. Under these circumstances we will not be able to count on the Military as a stabilizing force. The Military though a disciplined and well led, is a egalitarian body with much of its leadership and rank coming from middle, lower middle and poor classes. Their support of any move to perpetuate the rule of the elite will be at their own peril. The current military leadership is unlikely to prop the existing structure if such a conflict was to occur and possibly may even be catalytic toward such change. This is in stark departure form the past.
Pakistan is a fascinating place the contradictions are glaring but the promise is great,ironically what may be good for Pakistan may at least in the short term not be good for furtherance of our policy goals. We need to take a long view and it may be worthwhile to cut our losses, uncouple from the ruling elite and align our self with popular grassroots sentiment in the country. This would change our perception in the short term and when change does come we are for a change will be on the right side.

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Saturday, December 11, 2010
Memo #2 Indian Ambassador to Pakistan

From: Sharat Sabharwal
Indian High Commissioner
Islamabad, Pakistan
To: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
New Delhi, India
Subject: Pakistan Sate of the Union-2010
December 10, 2010

End 2010 summary analysis on Pakistan is being forwarded. The detailed report is being sent separately by diplomatic pouch.
The Government of India (GOI) strategic planning directive for Pakistan of 2000 clearly states our aim; to undermine the Pakistan Sate internally and externally with the intent to weaken it to such an extent, where it does not pose any further threat to GOI regional goals. With this in mind we have executed a cohesive plan to internally disrupt the country and to undermine it on all international forums both overtly and covertly.
I am pleased to announce the Sate of the Union of Pakistan at the end of 2010, is currently most conducive for the furtherance of our goals. Our efforts over the last sixty-three years seem to be coming to fruition. The country has never been more polarized, lacking in leadership and economically weakened. We anticipate that the time is nearing when we will be able to achieve our strategic goals without use of overt military force. This will be the highest tribute to the teachings of ‘Chanakya' which we have so assiduously pursued.
Pakistan was created ostensibly in areas where Muslims were in majority. From its inception there was a divergence of goals resulting in a clear division. This dichotomy has persisted and has taken a institutional form. The two basic divisions are summarized: -
1) Group 1:Belonging to the mercantile classes, who wanted to protect and preserve their commercial and land interests. They formed the majority of the ruling class at partition and continue to do so today. We estimate it to be about five to ten percent of the population. To summarize, this group is characterized by being: -
a) Mostly secularized and westernized: They do practice religion nominally and have maintained its cultural trappings to a variable extent but in essence religion to them has become a cultural phenomena and no longer holds any significant sway on their worldview. It has no relevance to what they perceive as their geopolitical center of gravity.
b) Privileged and above law: They are almost completely above the law; in fact they are the law. If you are part of this group you are never stopped by the police if stopped you never have to go to the courts, if indicted you almost never go to prison. They never wait in line; an army of servants and facilitators help them live above the daily grind of what life is in Pakistan for the rest of the ninety percent.
c) Economic apartheid: This group has access to the best living conditions within palatial residential developments, gated communities with private security. They have access to the best country clubs, hotels, restaurants and golf courses. They have an inside track to lucrative jobs and contracts. They travel freely and are found shopping and entertaining more in Western and Mid Eastern capitals then in the country. It is an incestuous club, were every one has a net worth and a network they depend on. They all mutually help each other and thrive.
d) Educational apartheid: Their children go to elite schools mostly in the Cambridge system; the government (public) schools are not even an option for them. Once they have done there ‘A’ levels the majority leaves for universities in the West for higher education where they either end up staying or return only to work at the helm of family businesses or to lucrative jobs in the private or public sector.
e) This group is mostly Western and India centric; they have no intrinsic cultural values and have learnt to appreciate and adopt western and now Indian cultural norms as their own. Some even are nostalgic about being part of greater India and reaping the benefits of the economic boom. We need to work closely with their representatives and continue to emphasize the futility of partition. The cultural assault by Bollywood needs to continue and we need to use human rights and civil society organizations to infiltrate their ranks even further.
2) Group 2: A segment that wanted to lay the foundation of an Islamic State to be based on the laws derived from the Quran and the practice of The Prophet Muhammad (The Sunnah). This group has mostly degenerated into a pathetic and ineffective hoard, unable to articulate a vision or strategic leadership. It can be characterized by being:
a) Poorly educated: with focus on doctrinal minutiae and nuance, having lost track of the dynamic core of the universal message that was once a historic force and resulted in changing the geopolitical map of the world. Only a small group remains that is making efforts to revive this spirit but fortunately for us has found no traction.
b) Divisions into sects and subgroups: with esoteric doctrinal differences, but significant difference in strategic approach. Rather than agreeing on a minimal common platform they are at virtual war with each other. Unyielding and unwilling to accommodate any divergent opinion. They lack unity and a common purpose.
c) Absence of a cohesive and coherent alternative model: They have failed to articulate an alternative paradigm to our western developmental theory; nothing substantial that can catch the imagination of the masses.
d) Economically disenfranchised: They mostly come from the economic under privileged class though some members of the educated salaried middle class are increasingly joining them. This is a dangerous trend and we need to develop a cohesive plan to prevent this hemorrhage.
e) We have successively infiltrated their ranks and our agencies can instigate communal killings and sectarian violence almost at will. Our effort needs to continue to stoke the sectarian divide and prevent the educated middle class form focusing on the ideological imperative of returning to its foundational ideals. We need to prevent them from serious scholarship of their religious texts and continue to draw a wedge between them and their co religionists.

Having lost its moorings and ideological underpinning that kept it united the society has become fragmented to its constituent tribes and ethnicities. The leadership has disintegrated, and the lowest common denominator in the society has surfaced at the helm. The current so called leaders in large part are totally inept and almost universally corrupt, this combination is lethal for their country, but provides us with unfathomable opportunities.
The political parties continue to be weak, poorly lead and are mostly family run oligarchies, with the perennial quest for power without purpose, goals without ideals and family over merit. The resultant effect is dysfunctional parties that are, inept and ineffective. They lack internal democratic mechanism, which has resulted in the perpetuation of family fiefdoms. They do not have the capacity to bring about fundamental change the country needs.
The higher judiciaries has shown some independence but is stymied because of the overall weak and corrupt legal and criminal justice system, which is on the verge of collapse and does not serve the common good anymore. This has resulted in groups and individuals to take vigilante action, further weakening the writ of the state.
The real danger to the furtherance of our policy objective comes from the Armed Forces; despite our best efforts we have not been able to infiltrate their leadership. It is surprising that it derives its rank and file from such a highly fragmented polity, yet ends up in developing into a cohesive organization with common purpose. The Armed Forces are one of the very few meritocracies in the country with an egalitarian ethic and continues to be mostly well led. The greatest danger comes from its current leadership in General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. He comes from a non-elite background and can be termed as the ‘common soldier’s general’. He has transformed the Army in the last three years form its lowest ebb at the end of the Musharaf era, to where it is now again an elite force commanding respect and veneration of the people. His continuation in the leadership position is highly detrimental to our strategy. We need to continue to make efforts to undermine him and make his personality controversial.
We have so far succeeded in creating a civil military divide but if a nexus was to form between the military and civil society, a dangerous situation could evolve which could result in galvanizing the middle class with the potential of revolutionary transformation. This would be very detrimental to our strategic aims and objectives and should be avoided at all costs.
Danger also comes from the growing cadres of youth that are idealistic and for some reason large segments of them, especially those belonging to the middle and low middle classes, still carry an ideological zeal. They could be organized and become the nidus of resistance against the status quo. We need to continue the assault on this group through our media and other surrogates to dilute their fervor and to try and assimilate them into a South Asian culture mosaic that we successfully potentate.
The corruption of the political class and bureaucracy coupled with the extravagant lifestyles of the elite will ensure the continuation of a culture of dependency, which will keep the country on the brink of bankruptcy and help us make significant inroads. We do not see this changing in the near term; no change seems possible from within the political structure. Our concern remains about a nexus between the military and elements of civil society becoming an agent of change.
We hope this analysis will help in laying the premise for the strategic reappraisal that is currently taking place; I am looking forward to participating in the dialogue in New Delhi at the end of the month.
Jai Hind

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Memo#1 Embassy of Pakistan

From: Husain Haqqani
Ambassador of Pakistan to USA
Washington, DC
To: Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
I am happy to report that we have finally convinced the White House to send a formal invitation to you for an official visit to the US in 2011. Sir it was not easy, they were concerned that you may be under indictment by then, by either The Supreme Court of Pakistan or by the International Court of Justice. This resistance was however overcome given your deftness in dealing with the visiting American delegation and agreeing to an expanded role for Drones and US Special Forces in Pakistan. Please accept my congratulations on this diplomatic coup de grace.
We are creating a full agenda for your visit and have arranged for meetings with several real estate agents, who have assured us that they have prime real estate properties for your consideration. Given the recession here, if I may add, it is a good time to buy.
Ms Sara Palin has also shown interest in a “private” meeting, please advice if you would like to keep it very discrete and “private” or if a combined Press conference should be arranged at the end.
Several Ex-legislators who have been “wrongfully” accused of corruption and forced to resign like, Charles Rangel, Doc Hastings, Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Marsha Blackburn just to name a few have expressed interest for you to give a seminar on: 'How to survive as a “wrongfully" accused politician'. Please advice if this will be feasible. Be rest assured we will negotiate top fees for your appearance and you will be amply compensated for your valuable time.
The State Department wants General Kayani to accompany you. They have agreed that while you are busy with the real estate showings he will be meeting at the White House, State Department and Pentagon to discuss key policy issues. Please be reassured The Defense Attaché has been briefed to appraise you of the decisions on a daily basis. This carries the additional benefit that we can keep 'The Chief' under close observation. This should assuage your fear about The Military taking advantage of your absence.
Given the past difficulties in tracking the cabinet ministers in different nightclubs, the FBI has arranged for a special chartered plane to take them to Las Vegas for the weekend. Several Casino’s have been reserved and they will have ample opportunity to get entertained and keep out of site of the media.
The Co Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has shown interest in meeting some Hollywood Celebes; please be assured I am personally making contacts and adequate arrangements will be made. We are also arranging for special credit cards to be issued by the embassy to him and the accompanying ladies for their shopping pleasure.
Since you have kindly agreed to bring some opposition members along, please remember that Imran Khan can under no circumstances be brought; he has displayed extreme undiplomatic tendencies. Mr. Nawaz Sharif has declined to attend, and Mulana Fazal ur Rehamn does not present an image we want to project. Altaf Bahi is unlikely to risk leaving his self-imposed exile, Wali Khan and his groupies are too boisterous and The Choudhary's are too incoherent. It may be advisable to consider Kashmala Tariq and Marvi Memon, they are quite benign and have pretty faces for television. They will be pleased by this gesture and it may help in toning down their rhetoric at home.
Talking about image it will help to bring several key women members and advisors, preferable good-looking ones sans Fuzia Wahab she, as they say here in the west, 'has a good face for the radio’. We need to blunt the impression Aafia Siddiqui has created and show the positive side(s) of Pakistani women.
Please be also advised that we are arranging several meetings with the Pakistani American Community here in the DC Virginia area. They will be screened and we will make sure all miscreants are weeded out. It will not be possible as requested by His Excellency the Minister for Interior Mr. Rehman Malik, that shoes should not be allowed inside the hall. Unless you feel, it will be safer to conduct these meetings in a Mosque, in which case we will be happy to arrange. This may carry the risk of confrontation between the “Maulwi Types" and “Enlightened Moderates” and has its pros and cons. Please have The Minister of Defense carry a study on this matter; he seems to have plenty of time since the Defense Ministry is working despite his input.
Sir can I also in the end bring to your attention a trivial matter, please do remind the Foreign Minister about the issue of my extension, it is due for renewal next month.
Praying for you health, continued success and completion of your ‘Awami’ mandate. God save Pakistan.

Friday, April 02, 2010

Conquering India

Ordinarily I would not have bothered to write about this subject but certain statements emanating from various quarters pertaining to it made it impossible to sit back and do nothing. The issue is the shortly to be expected marriage between former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik and fading Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.

Many people believe, or should I say hope that this union will have some kind of an impact on Pak-India relations and help the two countries move closer together on the path towards peace. I will soon get to how this marriage will help in finally resolving the Kashmir issue and how the marriage will eventually result in a solution to the Mumbai attack controversy. That is not all. This marriage will also help Pakistan win the war against terror in North Waziristan. I am no political pundit, but I think it does not take a rocket scientist to know that this marriage also holds the key to global warming. Well warming of some sort regardless, and most of it in Dubai.

Now, before I come to how all that will happen, I would like to ask some questions. The most obvious question is why people even think that the marriage between a Pakistani cricketer and an Indian tennis player will have any impact whatsoever on the political and strategic tension between the two countries. I am just unable to comprehend why someone even thought that this was a possibility. What possibly could have been the basis for such conjecture? They are two individuals making a personal decision that does not have the endorsement of either government, which is not needed anyway. And a key point here is that they will not be settling in Pakistan, but in Dubai. And when people asked another rather silly question about her career, and whether she would represent India or change her allegiance to Pakistan, she made it very clear that she would continue to play for India and Shoaib Malik for Pakistan. Well, after his ban that is and if he gets selected. I mean as the PCB has said about many other cricketers that domestic cricket is not enough to warrant selection in the national side, I wonder what they will come with once Shoaib Malik is eligible for selection again. Anyway, I digress from the main issue here, which is how the marriage between Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza will bring about peace in Afghanistan.

The point I was at when I got distracted was Sania Mirza and Pakistan. Not trying to cast any aspersions here but it is obvious that by not deciding to move to Pakistan or to play for Pakistan (which is silly as I already said but felt the need to say again) Sania Mirza is only interested in Shoaib Malik and has no intention whatsoever of establishing any link with Pakistan. Any frankly, why should she? She is an Indian.

So the fact that people believe this marriage will have any impact must be based on the tremendous harmony and love generated between Indian and Pakistan when Mohsin Khan married Rina Roy. Oh wait, that marriage actually failed to accomplish anything, hmm must have been some mistake there. I mean these marriages are supposed to work, dammit!

Just as the marriage between Zaheer Abbas and Kanpuri maiden Rita, now known as Sameena also played its part in bringing about peace between the two countries. Right? It did, didn't it? It didn't? Another failure? How can this be? Every one is so confident that these things actually work.

Oh well, I guess then this marriage is also destined to have no impact on the animosity between the two nuclear neighbours. And you know what, I was actually hoping that it could maybe help solve Pakistan's power crisis as well.

Oh before I forget, on a side note. Some equally misguided souls out there are rejoicing that while India rejected Pakistani players in the IPL Shoaib Malik has scored a coup, because Sania Mirza has rejected all Indian men. Hmm, methinks there is another side to this coin. Shoaib Malik has rejected all Pakistani women.

God, I hate cynical bastards like myself.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

On a power trip

The usual consensus is that when a state entity is privatised the end result will be a company that is better geared towards providing improved customer service and is friendlier towards it's clients.

This was proven to a great degree when a lot of banks were privatised and the transition saw them emerge as organisations that strive to provide improved customer satisfaction and there was more consistency in their SOPs. Many of the local banks with the inception of a corporate culture now compete with the international banks on an even footing and while soke may argue that there is still lots to ground to cover everyone generally agrees that there have been tremendous improvements as well.

Similar is the case with Pak Telecom or PTCL which is now a private entity. It is still struggling to shake off the effects of being a state owned corporation, for example the still extremely powerful workers union and the fact that many of its One Stop shops are still manned or in some cases womanned by the traditional mould of PTCL employees, despite the new look offices.

But the company has made some strides and will no doubt continue to make more as it competes with the likes of Mobilink, Warid, MaxCom and others in the field of telephony, mobile telephony and broadband internet.

But there is one company which has without a doubt lost ground after privatisation. And I am talking more about company image, friendliness, about providing the user with a sense of caring and customer satisfaction. The company I am talking about is the Karachi Electric Supply Company as I believe it is now called, and not Corporation, but I could be wrong and if so, I apologise. But suffice to say, we all know what I am talking about.

Over the years, people will remember that KESC has always been a problem child with break-downs, loadshedding and tripping as common and frequent problems occurring on a daily basis. But people will also remember that KESC always managed to get a handle on these problems in Ramadan, as a gesture of goodwill, shall we say? And KESC also managed to get a hold of this and drastically cut down power outages in winter, when obviously consumption was low.

But ever since privatization, several things have happened, and at the rick of sounding like a sour puss, all of these changes have been for the bad.

For one, there is no relief now in Ramadan, after all, it is now a private entity and is here to make money. Ok, let us agree with that, since all private entities are doing a business with the eventual aim of making money are they not. I mean, when schools and hospitals follow this premise how can we find fault with the KES for following this doctrine.

Another change has been the fact that unlike before when both the KESC and WAPDA were public-sector siblings, now the bigger brother, WAPDA no longer feels obligated to come to the rescue of its errant younger brother in it's time of need by diverting power from the national grid to the City of Lights (read that darkness).

A third, but not final change for the worse has been the fact that now there is little or no reduction in load-shedding during the winter months either. One fails to understand the logic behind this when the KESC should be better able to meet the demands of its consumers with power requirements at a low. The only logic that comes to mind is that KESC saves money by not purchasing gas or furnace oil during these months and continues to resort to loadshedding to compensate for the shortfall in power generation.

The attitude of the KESC management of constantly being less than forthcoming about where the actual problem lies each time there is a power crisis is also quite demeaning to the citizens of Karachi. One is never sure if the darkness is cased by loadshedding, or a breakdown, or a shutdown because of maintenance. The KESC helpline is of no use, the answers are equally enigmatic and often insult the intelligence of the consumer. That is when the consumer is able to get through to a customer service representative at all.

But the last straw, one that rubs the wrong way to an extreme degree and leaves a very bad taste in the mouth is the recent wave of KESC advertisements, part of the new campaign to curb electricity theft. The killing blow, after years of suffering at the hands of the monopoly in the dark, the heat and after being told clearly, that we have no choice but to put up with it, is being labelled a thief.

The ads speak about a sense of responsibility and about being ethical and about playing our part in ensuring that the entire community benefits, and the majority does not pay for the wrongs committed by a few. That is all well and good. But not quite.

What about the sense of responsibility and commitment and sense of caring that KESC should be showing towards its consumers. Why is it that the KESC simply shuts down the minute there is a shortfall in payments or the minute some furnace oil or gas provider agreement falls through. Why is it so easy for the KESc to just turn around and say, ok, we will not provide power to the people.

Where does the credo of caring for the community and ensuring that paying customers do not suffer go? And it has been a fair bit of time since the new management took over, and we have yet to witness an increase in the capacity of the company to generate more power. The power tariff continues to rise every few months yet the KESC is still ever short of cash and constantly harping about its inability to purchase more fuel be it gas or furnace oil to keep the power plants operational.

Maybe the hundreds of thousands of rupees spent in print, tv and radio advertisements calling people a thief could have been better used to revamp the transmission system and keep the power plants up and running.

As power outages continue, as power plants are shut down for maintenance or break down, and feeders continue to trip, the KESC manages to stay afloat, and focussed on its own power trip.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Boom Boom for Captaincy

I wish I had known of this earlier. Then I would not have wasted half of my life trying to develop a good reputation, and wasted countless hours trying to inculcate within myself a spirit of honesty and propriety behaviour.

I am not sure how successful I have been at achieving my aims, but I do feel that whatever success I have had has been an utter and complete waste of time.

I mean, I should have just chewed on a cricket ball and done so in the public eye with no less than two dozen cameras zoomed in me and people watching all over the world.

And I should have tried my level best to embarrass myself and my country, and perhaps I too would have been rewarded by something as lucrative and prestigious as the captaincy of the Pakistan cricket team.

Oh man, I wish my parents only knew that they were leading me down the path of destruction and despair when they told me that honesty was the best policy and that I should always try to conduct myself in a respectable and dignified manner.

I mean the proof is right there for all of us to see. Shahid Afridi is currently the front runner for the post of captaincy and I am pretty sure it is not his performance with the bat that has landed him this coveted position. The statistics are not exactly mind-boggling. He is known for his big hitting, but not known for consistency and reliability.

However, his performances with the ball have always been a little bit better, and he has himself said that he prefers to be selected as a bowler. Well, now he has proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that he truly does prefer balls.

But the issue here is more than just Shahid Afridi and his becoming captain of a team that is full of talented individuals with great cricketing skills. The sad part is that this group of players excels at some things other than cricket, like arrogance, indiscipline and the lack of national pride.

The issue also is the standards upon which hangs the balance of judging success and failure.

There is no doubting Shahid Afridi's talent, but can one really say that he is a bigger asset than Shane Warne ever was for Australia, or Freddie Flintoff for England.

yet Shane Warne, tipped by many to be the next Aussie skipper had to forever fore-go that ambition because of his indiscretions with the opposite sex, indiscretions of the extra-marital kind. They were private matters, yet the Australian Board felt they reflected wrongly on his character, especially in context of his future role as skipper of the team.

And Freddie Flintoff was vice-captain as well when he fell off his Pedalo into the Caribbean during a late night drunken excursion which was well beyond curfew as well. And with that tumble he let slip forever any chance of ever leading the England Test side. Again, there was no disrepute for the country involved in that, he was not breaking any laws, he was not cheating ior trying to cheat. But it was considered an act of indiscipline and insubordination and behavior unbecoming of one who someday plans on leading the country's cricket team.

Perhaps, to some degree it still is a game of gentlemen, but not in Pakistan.

On a side note, maybe we are all wrong and just out to get Afridi. Maybe the poor chap was just extremely nervous and wanted to chew his nails and accidentally nipped the ball in the process. We are so cruel to the innocent boy! Shame on us!

As for Mr Ijaz Butt, who could think of no one else as captain of the national cricket team, I am just too disappointed to say anything.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

My post has been vacant for months now, well over a year in fact. Its not that I have nothing to write, or say, but its been difficult gathering my thoughts together in any form of valid comment. Hence I decided (or maybe my writers block decided for me) that if I couldnt say anything of worth, I would say nothing.

I will be honest, I still have not got too much to say, but it is said that if you start writing, thoughts start to flow, and that is why I decided to just pound the keyboard today, hoping against hope that the words will have some significance. If not today, maybe tomorrow.