I HAVE not had a happy 2018-19 transition. I live among expensive mansions in a rubbish dump that once was a prestigious Hill Park locality. We have no roads, no water — although plenty mixed with sewerage seeps out — and no gas.

I actually pay more in taxes than many of our leaders whose lifestyles totally contradict their taxable ‘poverty’. To add humiliation to insult to injury, 15 family members from the First World came to spend holidays with us to laugh and commiserate with us at the advent of Naya Pakistan!

Over five months from September 2017 on we had no gas because the ancient lines were cracked and choked. It took a letter in this paper for SSGC to come to our rescue. There was still no gas because of meter corrosion. For the danger and a choked meter I got a supplementary bill of Rs 63,013!

Exactly the same problem recurred in November 2018 with 20 homes affected. Numerous complaints and letters to the gas company went unheard. As I write today, SSGC flunkeys are skulking around, there is water in the meter again and we still have no gas.

I have no idea why I am charged property tax when I live in an exponentially expanding garbage dump.

As if those were not enough a neutral touching phase breakdown in KE’s poorly maintained electricity system blew out our TV set’s chargers, lights and fridges on Dec10 last. It took more than phone calls to patch the line with no recompense for the damages caused. Whom does the PM sack here? I would say the whole KE lot!

In my near 40-year career as a tax-payer I have been “selected” for detailed scrutiny five times. Every time I am forced to support the country’s wasted expenses on unendingly useless causes while the taxman goes home that much richer.

Unlike the-so called anti-corruption organisations that are purely political tools of their masters I wonder if there is an apolitical ombudsman or a relevant suo motu judge who can do anything to help us hapless citizens.

Dr Mervyn Hosein

Karachi

(2)

DURING last winter, the supply of gas was erratic. This winter, there is no gas in our locality, Babu Bazar.

I find it amazing that some areas particularly those near military buildings are getting regular supply and that too at normal pressure. The common belief shared by many people suffering gas shortage is that these areas are having pipelines with a higher gauge. This is why they are getting supply.

The gas company authorities are requested to immediately replace rusty and low-gauge pipelines with better gauge pipelines to mitigate the suffering of the hapless consumers.

Talaat Shaheen

Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2019