Photo courtesy PID
Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Wednesday directed authorities concerned to accelerate efforts to curb electricity theft in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sindh and Quetta and sought a report on the resistance faced by authorities in implementing the campaign in Balochistan.
Chairing a meeting to review the ongoing anti-power theft campaign, he ordered relevant authorities to expedite the solarization of agricultural tube-wells. Stressing that it was the caretaker government’s responsibility to leave an established system for the next democratic government, he was also briefed on the accomplishments of the campaign since it commenced in September.
According to the relevant officials, the drive to curb power theft is being helmed by the federal government in collaboration with provincial governments. They informed the meeting that 19,415 power thieves were arrested, and 39,836 First Information Reports registered since September. Additionally, they said, 189 government officials were suspended over their involvement in electricity theft.
The meeting was informed that the ongoing campaign against electricity theft had proven the most successful in Mardan, where power theft had declined from 43 to 13 percent. It was further told that Rs. 14 billion were recovered under the campaign through Sept. 30. It was further told of the outcomes of a nationwide analysis undertaken to discover the causes of power theft.
The interim premier lauded the performance of the Energy Ministry, power distribution companies, and relevant federal and provincial authorities for the successes achieved in the campaign.