OSTENSIBLY, we have the right of self determination in Pakistan but, in reality, we live like the people of an occupied, impoverished nation. Every government department seems to restrict the people’s ability to live with security and dignity. It is difficult to receive any facility through legal means.

I have spent more than three years attempting to get a gas connection, even after paying an urgent fee. Three years on, they finally gave attention to our application and then came the next step, the demand notice. This also took a long time and beseeching on our part after which the next step was for the government to provide the labour for digging and installing the gas connections and meters, which also required multiple visits to the government office to materialise. This is a time and money consuming process for citizens, utterly fatiguing and forcing us to get things done through bribery.

How can the government redress this issue and ensure an easier process for getting a gas connection?

I request the relevant authorities to consider the plight of their fellow citizens, who have rights as citizens of this country and are entitled to government services. I hope that at least one Sui gas official will read this letter and affect some change in this nasty process.

An irate citizen

Pakistan

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2017