Sepco employees stealing it’s own electricity

Investigative Reporter
SUKKUR: The corrupt officials of Sukkur Electric Power Company are involved in power theft, and are such officials an obstacle in the way of reforms in the distribution companies.
Survey recently conducted by Indus News.One reveals that the several employees and officers of Sukkur electric power company ( Sepco) were using a ‘”kunda” (direct line) to steal electricity supply.
SEPCO staff installed electricity theft from direct lines to loot millions of rupees from the consumers every month while regular bill-paying consumers suffer,” people claimed.
The reliable sources told this scribe that the
many Sepco Officers of Sepco living in Wapda colony old Sukkur, Barrage colony and in private houses owned by officials were blatantly stealing electricity.
300,000 to 500,000 electric power units were being stolen monthly in the Sukkur city and SEPCO staff including meter readers, SDOs, meter supervisors, revenue staff and others were involved to assist people in electricity theft from the poles directly.
Reportedly Sepco is on top of the list as it’s recovery of bills is low at 45%, respectively because of growing electricity theft.
Pakistan faces a year-round electricity shortfall which can rise up to 8,000-9,000MW in the peak summer season. Electricity theft is therefore viewed as a serious crime, with the government having passed laws and presidential ordinances against it.
However, it is unclear how many times these laws and ordinances have been applied to government officials stealing electricity or whether ordinary citizens alone have to pay for the crime.
Civil society demanded the higher authorities of MoW&P and watch dog agencies to take notice of corruption committed by SEPCO authorities and probe fairly into the matter.