In response to the letter of the Federation the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has expressed its willingness to talk to the Federation on the issue of electricity theft. In this regard the Provincial Adviser on Information Barrister safe said that power theft is the incompetence of the federal government, however they are ready to discuss the issue of power theft with the federal government.
In a statement he said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has expressed its willingness to discuss the issues of electricity theft with the federal government but at the same time he has also said that power theft is the incompetence of the federal government, then again it is inappropriate for the federal minister to blame the KP government to hide his incompetence.
To stop power theft is the job of the federal government but Owais Laghari seems to be unaware of his responsibilities. It should be remembered that he has issued the above statement in response to the letter written to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by Minister of Energy.
The Information Adviser is adamant that instead of paying the arrears in terms of net profit of electricity, we are being charged while the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has already suggested that our arrears should be adjusted in electricity bills.
Earlier on behalf of the Federal Minister In the letter sent to the provincial government it has been said that the electricity losses in Pesco and Tesco are estimated at 188 billion rupees. The Federal Minister of Energy declared the power sector as the cause of the economy. It was said that Pesco and Tesco operating in KP are among the worst performing discos, the losses of Pesco and Tesco for the current financial year have been estimated at Rs 188 billion.
The federal minister said that one possible solution to the problem is that the provincial government prepare a comprehensive plan for recovery in Tesco areas. Another possible solution is for the provincial government to take over the power supply in Tesco areas.
Communication between the federal and provincial governments on the issue of preventing electricity theft is a good thing but a precaution is needed here so that whenever action is taken against electricity thieves, it should be started with the industrialists after that hands should be laid on the common citizens, those are already paying the bills of electricity thieves.
It is a proven fact that the power companies divide the units on divisions and feeders to reduce the line losses. Therefore if the rulers want to stop electricity theft in the real sense, then they will have to lay hands on the real thieves and collect electricity bills from those responsible for the line losses. They are then sent additional units and when the citizens fails to pay these cruel bills due to compulsion, their meters are cut off.
Therefore when these governments agree to conduct an operation against electricity thieves, then a distinction should be made between ordinary defaulters and thieves so that citizens who are willing to save money in the treasury despite such cruel taxes are offended, on other hand these bills should be collected from ordinary citizens in easy installments.
It is hoped that these rulers will also consider all these points where they will conduct an operation against the real electricity thieves by mutual agreement. Let it not happen that the real thief’s should be escapes as before and all the pressure should fall on the poor consumers as it has been done till now.
Therefore the provincial and federal ministers this time, while there is a need to fill the national treasury, will follow the real electricity thieves who are responsible for line losses across the country, fulfilling all the requirements of justice.
In this regard Federal Minister Owais Laghari should not only blame Pakhtunkhwa for theft but should also bring forward the figures of Sindh and Punjab, where there are most factories, they are involved in electricity theft.
