01-26-2010, 12:03 AM
Wednesday 19th January I received a phone call on my residence phone someone claiming to be from Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) asking to provide my KESC Account number as according to him the KESC was âupgradingâ its data. Only 4 days back my young teenage daughter and my sister traveling in Rickshaw had on a gun point been off loaded their gold bangles. As is wise for the common man to save ourselves from more financial, mental and time loss, we did not file any complaint. Only a week ago my immediate neighbour lady through the steel bars of her Gate was being told that the visitors were from PTCL to change the telephone set and asked the lady to select the colour and pay Rs. 250/-. The old lady having earlier twice been robbed in the house this time without showing any sign that she was alone asked the visitors to wait for her son who had just gone to the corner shop hearing of which the visitors disappeared. Wondering as to why the KESC would need from me their own account number and expecting that next question might be more information including where this meter was installed, I blankly refused to provide the information unless the person calling gave me his name and phone number for me to ring him back. The caller gave me his name but told me I can not call him back as it was his computerized phone system. I disconnected the phone and dialed 118 when the attending lady told me that yes the Department was upgrading data. I provided the lady my account number. However I could not understand firstly that all accounts numbers were available with the KESC as such what it was upgrading. Secondly; for upgrading the account numbers as to why its meter readers who are supposed to visit every consumer premises do not get the information printed on each meter rather than telephoning consumers. I enquired from the lady at 118 that KESC does not have my telephone number in its record hence as to how it contacted me on phone. She told me the PTCL had provided them the list of all its subscribers. As to how PTCL can legally provide list of its subscribers to a private concern KESC? I doubt all this exercise is under one design or the other to connect all data with the tax authorities. Notwithstanding the above however it is most unwise of any government or semi autonomous body to get information over the phone. This tendency is increasing. In the environment we today live in it is highly dangerous to pass on information to such callers over the phones. I have more than once got phone calls callers claiming themselves from Telephone Exchange asking where (location) my phone was installed. On my barking if the caller was from PTCL then why the hell he did not see this from the File the callers dropped the phone. The KESCâs move getting a non sense information over the PTCL provided phone list is of no worth as not every subscriber is connected through PTCL. Today tendency is to prefer mobile due to quality of service. Secondly some subscribers both residential or shopkeepers have more than one connection at one premises hence it means the KESC is getting duplicate or triplicate information which makes the data upgrading more incredible. It is a well know fact the banking staff provide details of account holders to insurance, credit card and SMS advertisers.