SEPCO CEO targets overbilling and power theft

Dr Abdul Waheed Mastoi
SUKKUR: SEPCO’s new CEO, Manzoor Soomro, has ordered a crackdown on electricity theft and staff involved in overbilling. Power theft is a major issue in Pakistan, costing billions of rupees annually. The CEO’s actions aim to improve SEPCO’s financial health and reduce consumer burden.
If it is said, then it will not be out of place that electricity theft has become a routine action in Pakistan and when the electricity goes down, it is on the poor. Sometimes it is called fuel adjustment and sometimes line losses. Alleged over-billing in the form of losses and low recoveries by power companies. Tax overload and hidden costs in bills are separate additional burdens. Revolving credit is increasing. According to an estimate, electricity worth 589 billion rupees is stolen every year in the country. Its open doors have been a testimony to our mismanagement for years. There have also been shocking revelations about the alleged involvement of politicians, industrialists, businessmen, common consumers and some corrupt officers and officials in electricity theft. From time to time there is news of nationwide crackdown on power thieves. The matter also reaches the Houses but this serious issue has not been controlled till date and ultimately the consumers have to bear the consequences in the form of additional bills which is tantamount to cruelty. Recently, 20 officers of Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GAPCO) were arrested and it was revealed that the bills went into their pockets instead of the national exchequer. Initially, an amount of 10 crore five lakh rupees has been revealed. According to FIA, the accused used to make fake entries in the treasury of the money deposited by the consumers towards electricity bills and put it in their own pockets, whereas GAPCO’s position is that FIA is in default of 1 crore and its power has been cut. In this regard in SEPCO newly appointed CEO Manzoor Soomro has ordered action against staff involved in over-billing and power theft and cracking down on electricity thieves across the company jurisdiction. It should be expected that the measures taken by the current CEO, which is committed to reviving the company, will prove fruitful inshallah.