Season of load-shedding: On Christmas, some slum areas without gas, water, or power

Christian residents satisfied by security arrangements at churches

ISLAMABAD: Many Christian families in Islamabad spent Christmas Day without electricity, gas and water.

The 100 Quarters slum, a Christian-majority area in the heart of the capital, has been without electricity for a few weeks after Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (Iesco) severed the only electricity connection in the area. Since the neighbourhood was provided an electricity transformer in 2005, all the houses were hooked to a single meter.

A local committee used to collect electricity bills from each household on the basis of estimated month consumption but over time, disputes arose, with some residents complaining they were paying more than their usage. Locals say they tried to get regular meters for each house, but they were too expensive. Due to incessant disputes among residents over their bills, some households stopped paying altogether, and on November 13, Iesco disconnected power.

To top it off, sans any gas connections, residents rely on firewood and LPG cylinders.

Christmas was celebrated with simplicity as a show of solidarity with Peshawar attack victims. PHOTOS: MUHAMMAD JAVAID, WASEEM NAZIR/EXPRESS

“It is my firm belief that our situation will not improve,” said Yaqoob Masih, who was chopping firewood on Thursday evening.

With no power, the slum, which houses over 500 families, was pitch-black after sunset, exhibiting few of the signs that it was the most joyous day of the year.

Residents were more concerned with collecting woods and water for their houses.

“My Christmas was spent collecting branches and water. I do not know when the day started or ended,” said Masih, who is a daily-wage labourer and the only breadwinner for a family of six. “Our celebrations have been overshadowed by our state of deprivation.”

“We use coal-irons to press our clothes, if any,” said Sobia, who was sitting with her family in a small, dark room around burning coals to keep themselves warm.

Nazeer Maseeh, a long-time resident of the slum, told The Express Tribune that they had been living without electricity for almost two months. “We have protested over it many times, but to no avail. The government apathy has left us helpless,” he said.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) spokesperson Asim Kichi said the connection was cut off due to non-payment of dues. He, however, said the civic agency was planning to upgrade the slum.

Security arrangements

Others in the area said they were keeping Christmas celebrations down to a minimum as a show of solidarity with Peshawar attack victims.

Christmas was celebrated with simplicity as a show of solidarity with Peshawar attack victims. PHOTOS: MUHAMMAD JAVAID, WASEEM NAZIR/EXPRESS

The Islamabad Police provided sufficient security to churches on Christmas. Aabpara Police Station SHO Khalid Awan told The Express Tribune that more than 400 policemen were deputed at churches in the city. He said that after last year’s bombing at All Saints Church in Peshawar, the administration has heightened security at all churches.

In Rawalpindi, almost 1,200 security officials were deployed for security around churches and other public places. A police spokesperson said that walk-through metal detectors were installed at churches.

Muslim-Masihi Ittehad Chairman Samuel Yaqub said they celebrated the event with simplicity due to the Peshawar massacre. He said they offered special prayers for the schoolchildren, teachers and security officials killed in the attack.

He said that they were satisfied with the security arrangements, but regretted that electricity and gas load-shedding continued on the day, opining that the government could have granted a one-day exemption from supply cuts.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2014.