Thank you, KESC [Karachi Elecctric Supply Corporation]!
Thanks to massive loadshedding, not only has life come to a near standstill for many in Karachi, but several people have been forced to make public parks their ‘bedrooms.’ The picture above is from the Urdu newspaper Jang and shows a mass sleepover in the park as the peak summer loadshedding has literally driven people out of their homes.
The picture below is from the English newspaper Dawn, and is an equally compelling depiction of how this loadshedding is impacting people’s life.
Many of you will be aware of ‘Candlelight Dinner’ but here is what ‘Candlelight Cooking’ looks like. One has to respect and honor the work of this woman. Here is my salute to the thousands of women and workers who have gone on with their lives and daily work despite the oppressive heat, no electricity, and lack of any options. They deserve not only our sympathy, but our respect; and our efforts to resolve this crisis… and to do it soon
Adnan Siddiqi calls himself a ‘pseudo geek’ and lives in Karachi. (See more at Adnan Siddiqi’s blog).
fakeer-e-shehr kay tan pr labaas baaqi hai
ameer-e-shehr kay armaan, abhi kahan niklay
This is really quite sad. I was just reading that people in Palestine, under perpetual aggression by Israeli military forces, ae now having to learn the art of living in primitive ways – gathering sticks for firewood, sharing food, and living without electricity etc . Are we forcing Pakistani people, in the most industrialized city of our country, to move in the same direction? I routinely hear that buying a generator has now become the most important item on a households shopping list.
Thank you so much for this. These are very moving pictures and very apt commentary. This is why I like this blog so much, it gives us a lot of cultural stuff, even soft and humorous stuff, but never forgets the serious issues that confront our nation and its people. Thank you again.