SPY EYES

I am a Pakistani — born here,educated here and after working all over the world living here in Pakistan. I pay taxes — on all my income and my assets. In my home there is no gas,power only for three or four hours out of twenty four and the water supply is frequently disrupted. The street on which I live is broken and strewn with garbage. The street lights are rarely on even when there is power. I have a generator and I run it in spite of the high diesel cost but it is weakening because of the long hours that it has to be run — I suppose I will have to get a new one or maybe two of them so that they can be alternated. We have installed gas cylinders for cooking and heating. We have a UPS system that takes over when there is a power shutdown and the generator is not running. The tap water is not safe to drink so we have bottled water delivered to us — the delivery man refuses to give a proper receipt to avoid paying the heavy tax on bottled water but charges us the full amount. We have no choice. Whenever there is a power shutdown the cable TV goes off so we have a PTCL smart TV connection that takes over and maybe we will install a satellite connection. I am among the fortunate few who can afford all this but I often wonder what the others are doing — those who cannot afford all this. What should they do?

My banker tells me that the Rupee is going to fall against the dollar so I should keep all my cash in dollars. Others tell me to take all my money out of the country and keep it abroad because there is going to be a financial collapse. In any case I feel very vulnerable because if you keep money in the bank then bank employees who are in cahoots with criminals inform them and you could be kidnapped. Not only are you unsafe but you put your family members at risk also. The daily kidnappings are proof that this is all true. The high up government people and our political leaders live behind secured walls and ride in bullet proof cars with huge security details and now we are told that many of them do not pay taxes. This is also proof that the environment is totally unsafe. What should we do?

There is a money making frenzy all around us. Government agencies are getting into partnership with private enterprises and allowing them to use government land for commercial purposes. At every level we have to pay bribes. The services being provided are sub standard and there are no work ethics and no consideration for others. The mindless speeding on our roads in complete disregard for traffic rules is an example of our descent into chaos. The man in the extreme left lane thinks it is his birth right to cut in front of you to turn right. He also thinks he can go the wrong way on a one way lane to avoid a proper U turn. With traffic signals off because of the power cuts it is a free for all at every crossing except when a VIP has to pass and all traffic is brought to a standstill and then suddenly released with no thought for the consequences. Miserable ill clad and scrawny children and women are begging on the streets with no one bothered about them. There is a stressful threat situation all around — religious leaders threaten you,religious extremists and criminals threaten you,the police threaten you in fact that is all they do and the government threatens you in every possible way. There is no human security. What should we do?

We are told that our economy is in free fall and that countries like India,Bangladesh,Indonesia,Thailand and Malaysia are forging ahead. We are in limbo — caught between India,Afghanistan and the US. No one is investing here because of the security situation. Our airline is in shambles. So are our railways. People are being killed in random drive-by shootings all over the country.  What should we do?

This is our country. We need to save it. We need to reform it. Everyone says it can be done. This is what we should be doing — the sooner the better.