I feel sorry for the institution. When it was first being created with the directions from the WB, I had resisted and had said that our engineers should be able to handle the energy situation. The grid system was then envisaged on the basis of the fact that surplus energy in the north being sent for utilisation in the south and vice versa. It never entered the minds of the policy makers as to what would happen if there was general shortage. There was massive debate that was carried forth to former East Pakistan where Madani was the then East Pakistan Wapda chief. I had number of policy interactions with him for the subdivision where I was working. At that time there were the decentralised energy institutions like the RWP and the Multan Electric supply company. The demand was rising exponentially while the production was in geometric terms. It was only a matter of time that the two-supply and demand would have a gap. The management of Wapda is not much to blame. Everyone has had a run on the organisation levels. The ministry of water and power has had a negative impact on the organisation levels. The levels of intrigues are such that one would be astonished. The palace intrigues of the Mogul times were nothing compared to the present. The WB, the IMF and the ADB, all have been trying to mess up matters while pretending to improve the functioning.
I have always maintained that the west brings nothing new to the situations and pretending to improve actually mess up things and make them worse. Such silly mistakes that one thinks that they are actually doing these things wilfully. When they started on urbanisation they employed a local economist well versed in his subject but no experience of what was it like culturally, WB/IMF/ADB have always interfered and the latest was with respect of command structures. Wapda's job is so important that it has an impact on the poverty levels in this country. Run efficiently it can turn a situation round and improve the living standards of the poor especially in the rural areas. I know a stream of the Wapda Chairmen, I am afraid I am not in favour of engineers holding these kinds of jobs. The reason is simple they look at life through a tunnel and do not seem to understand the impact of other aspects of life. Specialists if they can be called that are excellent examples of individuals that have no idea of management. The matter was driven home by General Jillani who wanted neither specialists nor generalists but people with a vision. He was a person with a considerable amount of guts and decisive power. He used to call senile people 'khalifas'.
The way urbanisation has been encouraged by the world institutions the country will always lag behind demand. Urbanisation is supposed to improve the overall living conditions. That will not happen as this urbanisation is creating a new kind of urban feudal. A feudal defined is one who lives of rentals while others do their work for them. Check the inventory of the homes built in Islamabad and you will see how land has created a mafia-like situation. The growth envisaged through this kind of economics will and cannot last. The US has seen this as well as other developed countries have encountered this. When the collapse comes it comes suddenly and creates a reverse situation. This urbanisation and the new arrangements with electronics did create a problem with the use of energy. Electronics was considered a very important capital-intensive addendum to the urban economy. Not so any more as the industry creates a problem. Let us look at the increased use of energy and the options that emerge are totally different.
Wapda needs some fresh blood at decision-making levels. Then there is a need to understand that interference in the work and functions of the organisation has to stop immediately. As things stand the level of decision-making is difficult because new mafias are created every now and then. The landline mafia is one that does not listen to policy issues. New tiers of responsibility in the context of the culture of this country need to be established with well-rounded determined rules of business. To add to Wapda's misery the water storage sector is also with them. The dam's cost-benefit analysis is miserable. The costs are reduced and the benefits are exaggerated resulting in a cheat position. The engineers ever mindful of the requirement seek a macro solution. They should be allowed that right since they are the ones to deliver. But once a cost is established it should not be allowed to increase unless there are cogent reasons for the same. The time period for completion is also interfered with. It is a tragedy that the ever-increasing finger-pointing in this country has made the economic situation into one that does not forebode well for this country.
Wapda should be given the charge of considering the options in Thar and to see what are the imperatives? There is a lot that can be done. The present management structure has to be modified and not imposed upon the authority. They have their own means of doing things and I remember at the time of General Musharraf that the then Chairman Wapda complaining about the secretary water and power in the cabinet meeting. General Musharraf wanted to take serious action (leading to arrest of the secretary). It was after a long time that he was persuaded not to take such a drastic action. Where will management decisions take Wapda next? There are management gurus that have suggested two or three actions. First that subsidiarity (not decentralisation) is to be made effective. What is the difference? In subsidiarity, the wherewithal is given and the targets are decided mutually. The authority-responsibility levels are established. Secondly, the concept of distributed leadership is to be established. Wapda Chairman does not have to go to the lowest levels but to the distributed leadership levels. So that policy levels remain with the Wapda board. Political interference of the type seen recently by an activated minister of state will not improve matters but reduce efficiency of the organisation and since he is a political person he will take parochially incorrect decisions. The politicians will have to transcend their local political loyalties. In the current scenario that is like asking for the moon.
Do we want to see brain in place of brawn? Then the way out is to allow the appointee to work with his team and on his terms. It might be time for some neo-liberal policies and some new interventions to be decided by Wapda itself. Do we have men giants for this job? We have not allowed men giants to work in their work place. Allow them to make mistakes and to correct these mistakes by themselves. We used to say in the cricket team that if there was one crony in the team that will make a mess of the team performance.
Today all your public corporate sectors are in a mess. These will not go away by wishing them away. Take a thoughtful decision. The power structure is incapable of doing this. Wapda's role is critical to the well-being of the country. Get out of delusions.
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