36 SEPCO officials face music for failing to curb Electricity theft
Dr Abdul Waheed Mastoi
SUKKUR: The SEPCO department in Sukkur took strict action on Monday, imposing heavy penalties on 8 officers and 28 employees for their failure to control electricity theft. According to a SEPCO spokesperson, Chief Commercial Officer Raja Aziz Ahmed Rid led the charge, imposing penalties on 8 officers, including 3 Executive Engineers Operation, 4 SDOs Operation, and 1 Assistant Manager S&I, as well as 28 employees.
The penalties were imposed due to the officers’ and employees’ inability to control power theft, which has been a persistent issue in the region. Three former Executive Engineers Operation Division – Kashif Gulzar Sheikh from Ranipur, Zulfiqar Ali Kalhoro from Ghotki, and Nizamuddin Pirzada from Mirpur Mathelo – were suspended earlier for not controlling power theft and were asked to report to SEPCO Headquarters Sukkur. Now, departmental action has been taken against them, reducing their time scale by two years in two stages.
Similarly, heavy punishments were imposed on 4 SDOs Operation and 1 Assistant Manager S&I, including Israr Ahmed Bachkani, Syed Waqar Ahmed Shah, Abdul Ghaffar Junejo, Ghulam Mustafa Sheikh, and Jamil Ahmed Channa. Four of these officials have been compulsorily retired from the post of Line Superintendent, while Ghulam Mustafa Sheikh has been compulsorily retired from the post of SDO.
Additionally, departmental action was taken against 28 officials, with 5 being compulsorily retired and dismissed from their posts, including LS-1, LS-2, Lineman-2, and ALM. Heavy punishments were also imposed on 23 other officials.
SEPCO’s Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Ijaz Ahmed Channa, warned that if negligence in duty, electricity theft, and line losses continue unchecked, similar departmental action will be taken under the prevailing law. This move aims to curb the widespread issue of power theft in the region and ensure accountability within the SEPCO department.
