Message from Javed Mahmood, Chief Executive of The Hub Power Company Ltd.

" The world we are living in today is quite different from what it was even a decade ago. Social, political, economic and technological changes have occurred at such a pace that all relationships have been transformed. Unfortunately one of the few constants in the rapidly changing global environment has been the continuing decline in the quality of life for the less privileged peoples of this world. As global resources became scarcer day by day and global population continues to rise, the prospects of any improvement in living standards for the majority of people on this planet have become dimmer and dimmer.

In this scenario, the responsibility of bringing about socio-economic reform extends to many others beyond the government - at least on a moral level - including also the corporate sector. The execution of community welfare and development projects by the corporate sector is to an extent self-motivated. At the end of the day it is the perceived image of the company that determines how successful it is in the marketplace or at the simplest level, what people think about it. To this end companies get involved in a diverse range of activities to improve their public image. However, more often than not, the activities undertaken also have a clear marketing or commercial angle. Thus while some image building may be achieved, it is obvious that the motives are not entirely altruistic.

HUBCO's Social Action Programme (SAP) on the other hand, is a singular example of a company caring for the local community without any consideration of a possible commercial gain. HUBCO's only product - electricity - has only one single buyer in the whole country. That is the Water & Power Development Authority or WAPDA. As such HUBCO's SAP is not aimed at influencing the general public to buy its product. In this light the SAP must be seen as a selfless endeavour to benefit the local community and as such it is a shining example for others to emulate.

HUBCO is committed to expanding and improving its SAP in times to come. We believe that the local community is the building block of the nation. By strengthening the local community we aim to strengthen Pakistan. We welcome others to join us in this nation-building effort.

The Hub Power Plant is located in one of the least developed areas of the country. As such the people of the area do not have access to even basic necessities of life. Fairly soon after coming into operation, HUBCO decided that it could not be indifferent to this situation. The real needs of the people of the area were studied, with a view to bringing about a sustained and long-term change for the better. From this assessment a Social Action Programme (SAP) evolved.

The HUBCO Social Action Programme has now been in place for several years on a continuous basis and is now being executed jointly with International Power Global Development (IPGD), the company that is under contract to operate and maintain the Hub Power Station. The SAP concentrates on three principal areas - health, education and the environment. The beneficiaries are the residents of the towns and villages in Hub, Gadani, Lasbela and the nearby Goths. The SAP is designed and executed to ensure that it is the proverbial common man that actually benefits. People who do not have resources of their own to meet even their basic health and education needs. The programme has no sex or age barrier and its coverage benefits extend to men, women and children of all ages. "