Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan once said, “It is possible that an atomic power country has no electricity.” Sadly, this bitter truth reflects the current state of Pakistan. We are a nuclear-armed nation, a symbol of strength and scientific achievement, yet our people still cry, pray and fight for something as basic as electricity.
This contradiction should shake our conscience. If we can build atomic bombs, why can’t we power our cities, hospitals and homes? Why are the people of Pakistan still suffering from hours of load-shedding every day? Why are the voices of students, patients and small business owners being ignored?
Whenever we raise our voice and ask for a solution, we are told the same excuse: “There’s electricity theft in your area”. But I ask: is that our fault? Should we catch the thieves ourselves? Should we beat them up while the government stands by and watches? No! It’s the job of the authorities to act — to fix the system, punish the wrongdoers and ensure honest citizens get what they rightfully deserve. Let us not forget that even an atomic bomb cannot function without power. So, let’s light up our homes before we shine on the world stage.
Muhammad Sufian Arif
Mardan
