Unity is imperative to develop a progressive state that provides for the welfare of its people. Take the examples of Malaysia, Indonesia, or Bangladesh. Their limited resources did not hinder their quest for progress and instead these countries are far more economically sound than Pakistan - despite the fact that Pakistan has abundance of natural resources. Why, you may ask? The answer is simple; it is the people of these nations that helped them grow into prosperous countries. Not only do their citizens act responsibly but they also take great pride in working hard for their countries.
Sadly, Pakistanis do not share the same passion, yet it should not be misconstrued that they do not love their country. Pakistanis need to become responsible citizens, since it is the need of the hour if we have to rise economically. It is the people who always make up a nation. And while Pakistanis are no doubt passionate about the well-being of their country, responsible citizenship is a phenomenon they appear to be rather unaware of. Take the example of gas consumption. SSGC and SNGPL are the two major gas transmission and distribution entities within Pakistan, having a vast joint network of 175,000 kms, which is found to be unique, even in today's advanced world. However, irresponsibility on part of the citizens is what is creating immense difficulties for these two utility providers to enhance and further develop their distribution networks.
One reason for this is because there is limited supply of gas that is available to these two organizations. And sadly, neither SSGC nor SNGPL is able to provide all the gas that they acquire, primarily due to gas thefts, and illegal tampering with the gas pipelines, that as per industry estimates comprise 60 percent of line losses. The SSGC team, which has been working towards curbing gas theft by apprehending the culprits responsible for their unethical and immoral conduct, has shed light on the fact that our citizens lack the notion of responsibility, which is necessary for any country's progress. Gas theft is something that is not acceptable even at individual or domestic level, however, when even industrialists and commercial customers are involved in such misdemeanour; the menace takes on a whole new serious meaning.
And so, even if these two organizations wanted to improve and increase their distribution network, they find that such an objective leads to a path riddled with obstacles. While it is easy to blame organizations for not providing the services they are responsible for or not taking a proactive approach in addressing the issues, it is far more difficult to take responsibility and behave responsibly. Before we begin to criticize our utility companies for the issues faced by us, we should first try to become responsible citizens. We should do our part, conserve gas, refrain from theft, report theft incidence, and avoid actions that may cause damage to the property or the people of the company. It is about time people started acting responsibly and taking a proactive approach in aiding these gas utility organizations to solve their problems. Simply put, we must act as responsible citizens and support those who are working day and night to solve our problems.
Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah saw immense potential in this nation and placed his hopes in the people to take his vision to fruition. The question is, will the people make his vision a reality, or will they lead all of his hopes and dreams for the country and all the leaders who came after, astray?
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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