ISLAMABAD: On the directives of the federal government, authorities in Pakistan have expedited the crackdown against electricity thefts across the country amid inflated electricity bills mainly attributed to line losses and thefts.
The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) has caught 105 meters and imposed a fine of 7.567 million rupees for stealing electricity in different areas of the company this month.
Dr Muhammad Amjad, IESCO Chief, said in a statement that during the current crackdown against electricity thieves, the field formations examined 5,743 meters and detected 105 meters involved in electricity theft through different means.
In total, 73 meters were found tampered with while twenty-two were getting direct power supply, he said.
IESCO Chief said that a fine of 7.567 million rupees has been imposed on the power thieves while charging over 177,000 units.
He said on directives of the Federal Minister for Energy, the IESCO started a crackdown against electricity thieves and their facilitators in all circles, including Islamabad-Rawalpindi-Attock-Jhelum and Chakwal circles.
The IESCO chief said all operation circles, including Incharge Executives and SDOs, were regularly inspecting industrial, domestic, commercial, and other tariff categories within their respective areas.
He said local administration and police were also helping the company to conduct the operations.
He expressed confidence in the success of this government-led drive, with the full dedication of officers and crew.
The IESCO chief stressed that electricity thefts put an extra burden on the government and public institutions, adding that both the agencies and the public should work together to combat this menace.
Dr. Khan appealed to the consumers to exercise their national and moral responsibility by reporting electricity theft and facilitators to the Anti-Power Theft focal person at mobile number 03195991304 or to the Complaint and Monitoring Cell at number 0519252933.
Crackdown in KP
Meanwhile, Peshawar Electricity Supply Company has also launched a similar crackdown, and it has so far removed more than 500 direct hooks.
A PESCO spokesperson said that over 500 direct hooks have been removed so far while fines for more than seven million rupees have been charged against electricity theft.
He said that as per the government directives, the anti-electricity theft operations continued in the province on a war footing basis and over 250 requests to lodge FIR have been submitted.
Ten superintendent engineers of PESCO were assigned the duties of focal persons with the instructions to make contact with the provincial task force and divisional commissioners to end electricity theft and provide relief to all those consumers who regularly pay electricity bills.
The Provincial Task Force (PTF) with the assistance of police, district administration and other relevant authorities, was directed to remove direct electricity hooks and make a recovery from defaulters on a priority basis.
In this regard, the deputy commissioners (DCs) would lead the task force in their respective districts and report regarding the removal of direct hooks, and the outstanding dues’ recovery would be submitted to the caretaker Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on a daily basis.
Directives were issued to the relevant authorities to take strict action against owners of hotels, shopkeepers, traders, and vendors involved in getting illegal connections from the schools, hospitals, government departments, railways pattaks and others.
The district administration and police were mobilized to help PESCO field staff in the removal of direct hocks and recovery of outstanding dues against agricultural, domestic, and industrial consumers.
Strict disciplinary action was being taken against all those officials of PESCO involved in power theft.
Meanwhile, the district administration of Khyber has lodged FIRs against 7 power stealers after they were caught red-handed by stealing electricity through direct hooks.
The videos of power stealers and direct hooks were being recorded as evidence so that strict action should be taken against them.
Crackdown in Sindh
Moreover, The Caretaker Sindh government has decided to start a crackdown against electricity theft across the province.
The provincial government also established a task force under the supervision of the Sindh Home Secretary for an anti-theft electricity drive.
According to the notification, the provincial Secretary of Energy, Government of Pakistan, representative of Power Division, Commissioner, DIG (concerned regions), Additional IG Police Sindh, CEO of HESCO/SEPCO, and any other co-opted member to be nominated by the convener, will be included in the task force.
The task force will be authorized to make a strategy and an effective mechanism for a focused and sustainable drive throughout the province against electricity stealing by targeting high-loss industrial, commercial, agriculture, and domestic connections and non-recovery from defaulters.
The task force will also supervise, monitor, and coordinate the drive undertaken by the divisional and district enforcement committee (DEC).
Meanwhile, in Hyderabad, a Large-scale crackdown against electricity stealers continued in the HESCO region on Sunday.
A spokesperson said that raids were conducted in several parts of region including Hyderabad, Umarkot, Badin, Mirpur Khas, Khipro, Tatta, Dgri, Saeedabad, Tando Adam, Shahdadpur, Matiari, NawabShah, Kotri, Jamshoro, Nooriabad, Sehwan, Bhan Syedabad, Sanghar, Qazi Ahmad, Tando Allahyar, Sakrand, Tando Jam, Chamnbar, Daulatpur, and other areas, witnessed the disconnection of 4,891 illegal connections.
Furthermore, twenty-seven transformers were removed, and three remote control devices used for electricity theft were seized. These devices were being used for illegal power consumption.
In addition to these actions, a recovery of over Rs35.6 million was also made from defaulters and letters were submitted to the respective police stations to lodge FIRs against 167 individuals.
According to HESCO spokesperson, on the orders of the Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar, the crackdown against electricity stealers will continue to eliminate electricity theft while the drive has been intensified for the 100% recovery of 169 billion dues.
