PESHAWAR: In a decisive move against power theft and unpaid electricity bills, authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are gearing up to target illegal housing societies that owe billions in arrears.
The focus will also be on commercial electricity consumers, particularly those connected to defaulted feeders across the province.
The directives were issued during the third Provincial Task Force meeting, chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Department, Mohammad Abid Majeed. District administrations and police officers were instructed to strictly adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when filing FIRs against defaulting electricity consumers.
The meeting, attended by divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, district police officers, and representatives from the Energy & Power and Industries Departments, was informed of the recent achievements of the KP Task Force for Energy.
Over the past month, more than 20,645 individuals involved in the illegal “Kunda” system had their connections terminated. Fines and arrears amounting to over Rs1.43 billion were collected, with Rs110 million specifically recovered from those engaged in illegal electricity practices.
Since September 5, in collaboration with PESCO, district administrations, and the police, over 10,406 raids targeting commercial hubs and factories involved in power theft have been conducted across various districts. As a result, more than 20,645 connections were disconnected, and over 7,080 individuals faced legal action, leading to the arrest of 479 suspects.
Chairman Task Force Muhammad Abid Majeed emphasized the urgency of taking stringent measures against unauthorized housing colonies and major commercial entities involved in electricity theft. He advocated for a swift operation against these significant violators and stressed the acceleration of the recovery campaign in Bannu, Kohat, DI Khan, and Mardan divisions.
Arshad Majeed, Senior Joint Secretary of the Power Division, further directed the Pesco chief to hasten the collection of dues from defaulters and streamline the meter installation process.
