Locked robbery

Wapda meter readers are sending bills on the basis of reading meters in their office or home, and these overpriced bills show meters as being ‘locked’. When I questioned the locking business I was told that during brownouts, meter readings are estimated on the basis of guessing as meters become blank during periods of loadshedding.
Meter readers should know the scheduled loadshedding hours and should schedule their visits accordingly. Even during loadshedding intervals there is no point in overestimating consumption and showing meters as ‘locked’. These actions amount to locked robbery. Furthermore, the process of unlocking meters is cumbersome in itself. Corruption has dehumanised and paralysed Pakistan. Locking meter readers is a small example of the consequences of allowing corruption to thrive.
B A Malik
Islamabad