TWO latest media reports suggest the ongoing crackdown against mafias, smugglers and electricity theft is producing desired results but there are apprehensions that the campaign might be left midway in the face of stiff resistance by the vested interests and well-connected affected elements. In one incident, the FIA Banking Circle recovered local and foreign currency worth billions of rupees during a raid at an under-construction house in Rawalpindi whereas people of Battagram blocked Karakoram Highway to protest against measures taken by WAPDA and the local administration to prevent electricity theft.
The two incidents reveal the magnitude of the problem and the kind of resistance to the sincere efforts being made to check illegal activities. No doubt, action against sugar, fertilizer, gold and currency smugglers has had a soothing effect on the overall economy as prices have come down and availability improved. However, based on the past experience, there are genuine fears about stoppage of the campaign for reasons other than economic interests of the country. Business and other tycoons have amassed wealth worth trillions of rupees stashed in dark rooms of downtowns of major cities in the shape of gold biscuits and local and foreign currency. They routinely carry out transactions in cash and therefore, avoid accountability or payment of taxes and instead remain always on the look out to get concessions from the Government on different pretexts. As for electricity theft, this is a serious crime but strangely enough residents of some areas have the audacity to protest against the campaign to get rid of illegal connections. The protestors also claimed that they were being penalized despite the decision of the then Government to waive off electricity bills in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake, which means they have not been paying their bills since then but getting free electricity. All this is happening not in formerly FATA but settled areas where rule of law is supposed to prevail. The problem is not restricted to Battagram alone as there are hundreds of other localities in different parts of the country where residents use both electricity and gas without paying anything. At a time when honest consumers are forced to pay above Rs 50 a unit, there is absolutely no justification to leave thieves untouched.
