Hang Them High

Asem Mustafa Awan
Islamabad: It was Rs 10,000—a sum the government believes is within reach for all electricity users in Pakistan, a nation ironically dubbed the land of the pure.

However, in a landscape marred by relentless inflation and uncontrolled price hikes, this amount remains exorbitant, rendering the sustenance of the common man nearly impossible.
The masses are increasingly calling for the punishment of those responsible for ruining their lives and livelihoods. Every day, people attend funerals for individuals who were killed or took their own lives over astronomical utility bills.
The tragic video of a woman jumping into a sewage stream after paying her bill is a stark testament to the dire choices people are making—choosing to end their lives rather than suffer daily indignities.
Her son revealed to media channels that the bill consumed money saved for a much-needed operation. Another woman, on the verge of jumping into the Ravi River, was dissuaded from suicide, recounting how she begged and borrowed to pay her bill in installments. These harrowing events, occurring in the last week of July, underscore the extreme measures the public is resorting to due to exorbitant bills.

Read More:https://thepenpk.com/pakistans-forgotten-millions/
While the actual amount due is often much less, added taxes—many of which are not even applicable—frustrate people. The state takes taxes ostensibly to provide services, but in reality, these services are available only to a select few, leaving the majority without.
There have been numerous tragic reports in the past few days. Recently, a man committed suicide by throwing himself in front of a train, and when his body was searched, it revealed unpaid gas and electricity bills. The state, with its detached approach, has leaders who have never experienced poverty.

Their air-conditioned offices insulate them from the harsh realities faced by the public.
Countries like Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, despite their own challenges, have lower tariffs and stronger currencies than Pakistan. This raises the question: why is Pakistan different?

Why are its people cheated and made to suffer more?
One of the most tragic incidents involved a father who, out of desperation, slit the throats of his two young daughters because he couldn’t pay the bills. This horrifying act should force policymakers to revisit their plans. Numerous departments exist for poverty alleviation, yet corruption is rampant in all these offices.

Where does all the money go? An honest answer would expose many bigwigs, but accountability remains a distant dream in Pakistan.
The Public Accounts Committee notes that offices meant to catch thieves and robbers are in cahoots with the elite 5 percent who control 95 percent of national resources, leaving the remaining 95 percent of the public to struggle over the remaining scraps, leading many to suicide.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/povertys-fatal-toll/
The Jamat-i-Islami (JI) is staging a sit-in to protest increased electricity tariffs. It’s been six days, and while the protest remains peaceful, its longevity is uncertain.

JI is attuned to the people’s grievances and demands transparency regarding the ownership of International Power Providers (IPPs) responsible for the current crisis.
These IPPs, with their skewed contracts, are paid in full whether they produce electricity or not, thanks to capacity charges.

Many are either closed or operating at minimal capacity, yet they receive full payment, with stakeholders across the Pakistani government benefiting from these deals.
How many more will die, and how long will this continue? Everyone is watching and waiting. Each day, another person might commit suicide or harm their family out of fear of poverty and hunger.
Despite numerous PowerPoint presentations, policymakers have done little to alleviate the public’s suffering, leaving people to take extreme measures that make headlines worldwide.
In a global village, the world watches, bewildered. Incidents that are daily occurrences in Pakistan would cause uproar and accountability elsewhere.
Yet in Pakistan, accountability remains a distant dream, leaving its people to bear the brunt of corruption and incompetence. Hang them high, indeed, for the policy makers’ negligence has led to an unimaginable human toll.

Photo Credit: File Photo via Google

Asem Mustafa Awan has extensive reporting experience with leading national and international media organizations. He has also contributed to reference books such as the Alpine Journal and the American Alpine Journal, among other international publications.