I was reading an article of Forbes magazine, which publish a list of billionaires of the world every year. I came to know that the richest people in the world have gotten poorer, just like the rest of us. This year the world’s billionaires have an average net worth of $3 billion, down 23% in 12 months. The world now has 793 billionaires, down from 1,125 a year ago.
Pakistan had also been affected by this situation and it has become very difficult to make both ends meet now days for common man. Apart of it there are various other problems prevailing in the society making life difficult. But Pakistanis are amazing in their own sweet or strange way. They know how to overcome a problem or how to use adversity.
A moorish poet once said;
Dimly burns the lantern, but
When it’s wick is cut
Perfect will it’s lustre be
Through the wick’s deficiency.
In the developed countries people are not synonymous with the word load shedding, but we are, thanks to WAPDA, PEPCO, and KESC etc. So perhaps soon KESC will also be advertising a message like,
Load shedding is not a curse; it’s for your benefit. We are providing business in current economic recession days to candle, UPS, Generator industry to help our economy. When there is power failure you can not charge your mobile, so we are saving your money which you may spend by using your mobiles. You cannot watch T.V so we are keeping you busy in other healthy activities like visiting a park or neighbors. We also provide you a time to thank God when the light came.
I hope that this time may not come but the current load shedding hours in Karachi are more than 6. Another problem is transport, the means are few and inappropriate in urban areas but in rural areas it is more difficult. Not only the numbers of vehicles are less but the fare is high that one hardly affords it. Look at the images, how badly this animal is being transported. People don’t bother to carry a trolley on their head and a even a cow on the bike. I thought from where does this idea comes from? And probably the answer is adversity.
The effects can also be seen on IT industry, which had a boom in the last decade especially in Pakistan. People get familiar with computers and everyone wants to have their own. But current situation has made computers to be sold in Kilos.
One can only pray that we keep on using adversity in our own way.
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