The Pakistani Spectator

Getting your Landline Phone installed or getting it fixed is more adventure seeking than the adventure of the Hollywood release “Terminator-3”. Truly, if PTCL isn’t the worst division in Pakistan, it isn’t even anywhere near the finest. Immense monopoly of the officers, indisputable indolence of the linemen and the substandard cabling make PTCL one of the most worrying subjects of the general public.

My nightmare starts when in one fine morning, in the May of 2005; I left my house to the way to Saddar PTCL Telephone exchange for the Installation of my new Landline phone. I reached to a stone age looking building. After meeting a man outside who almost robbed my wallet, there I was told to see the Assistant Director for the commencement of my application. I filled a form and attached the required documents, after that I submitted the form and left the building hoping that the lineman will come in a week or two and install my phone.

Days passed, then weeks, and then the weeks turned into months and still the lineman was nowhere to be seen. I decided to make another visit to the exchange, so I did. Again, I was told to see the Assistant Director but this time there was a new person – was he the new Assistant Director? But wait, he had the same name - something fishy! Later I came to know that he was the PA to the Assistant Director and he was pretending to show himself as the Assistant Director and the reason was, clearly, that the Assistant Director was out somewhere enjoying his time in the duty hours.

I asked him about my application and he straightaway sent me to another man, just outside his office. I went there, and he sent me to another man. There I got the news that the installation of phone at my house was not possible as there was no line there. Strange! The house next to mine had a phone, the house in opposite of mine had a phone, so did all the houses in my street but why no line for my particular house? Totally suspicious I went to the Assistant Director again, he persuaded me with his witty words and asked me to wait some more – and I waited - for quite a while.

Totally hopeless, I went to my neighbour and asked him to help me. He, being a PRO to Minister Sheikh Rasheed, fetched for me a signed letter from the Minister and told me to give it to the Assistant director. I did as I was told. I gave the application to the Assistant Director, he again sent me to the other officer, probably a clerk. I was shattered at his words. He told me in a very humble way, “You know the linemen here just come, smoke cigarettes and go home, they do not work. Plus, Sheikh Rasheed is not our minister; your phone will only be installed if you bring a letter from our minister, Awai s Ahmad Khan Leghari (The minister for Information and technology of that time).”

The very next day I approached the F-5 secretariat – to the office of the Minister for Information and Technology, after knowing nothing about what to do as the approach to such high bureaucrat was not possible, I returned home empty handed. Then after entire venture I left the matter in the hands of the authorities. Surprisingly, subsequent to all the attempts, weeks later, the lineman came and installed the phone. It was a dreadful experience. It took me months. The work that should’ve been done by a single application cost me days of my life, and much anger and shame. There is much to be concerned about still, and soon. The PTCL is now handed over to the Sheikhs, and only now there is a chance of its improvement.