ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Federal Energy Minister Awais Leghari highlighted that Pakistan is facing an enormous annual loss of Rs600 billion due to power theft. He emphasized that despite having an excess of 6,000 megawatts of electricity available on a recent Saturday, this surplus could not be supplied due to concerns about further financial losses to the national exchequer.
Leghari pointed out that illegal transformers and unmetered feeders were major contributors to electricity theft, making it challenging for the government to extend electricity services without exacerbating financial burdens on paying consumers. He underscored that the federal government cannot afford to subsidize electricity indefinitely and emphasized the need to curb power theft effectively.
Regarding efforts to combat this issue, Leghari mentioned that the federal government has urged provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Sindh to take decisive action against power theft. He acknowledged the cooperation of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in addressing the problem without prompting from the federal government.
The minister detailed the staggering annual losses due to power theft across various regions: Rs137 billion in Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) and tribal areas, Rs51 billion in Sindh excluding Karachi, Rs133 billion in Punjab, and Rs100 billion in Balochistan. He emphasized that addressing electricity theft is a national priority, free from political interference, and necessary to ensure fair distribution of electricity resources.
Leghari concluded by stating that while there has been pressure from chief ministers regarding loadshedding issues, the government remains committed to implementing effective measures against electricity theft to ensure reliable and equitable electricity supply across Pakistan.
