PESCO officials charged 40m extra units: NAB

Over 25,000 consumers in Hazara division made to pay for theft of power utility men


Riaz Ahmed December 13, 2017
Electric pylons are seen after sunset. PHOTO: REUTERS

PESHAWAR: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has initiated an inquiry in a mega scam of billing 40 million extra units to 25,000 consumers which amounts to illegally collecting Rs240 million from them to conceal the misdeeds of Pesco officials of Hazara division.

Talking to The Express Tribune NAB spokeswoman said that they had so far investigated the records of the past four years and have discovered that around 40 million extra units had been added to the bills of the consumers in order to cover the line losses of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) in the region.

“The Pesco officials were apparently stealing power or helping in its and theft and to cover it they distributed these units equally on all consumers in the two circles, forcing them to pay for the missing electricity,” she said.

Regulator fines PESCO, CPPA-G Rs10m each

The Peshawar bureau of NAB taking cognisance of the complaints of authorised an inquiry, which revealed that the officials of Pesco in Hazara I and Hazara II circles, in connivance with each other, charged fake, fabricated and exaggerated units into official records against the consumers conversely to the original meter reading.

These fraudulent figures were used by officials to conceal their misdeeds and theft caused with their connivance, resultantly putting extra financial burden on general public without any justification.

Further, upon receiving complaints from consumers, the corrupt officials illegally issued Meter Change Orders (MCOs) to consumers in Pesco record, though in reality no meter was changed on ground.

Bitter pill to swallow PESCO boss takes oath of honesty from meter readers

During inquiry it was also revealed that same modus operandi has been adopted by the officials of Pesco  in other three circles of Hazara. NAB would initiate inquiry against them soon, she said.

NAB Chairman Justice Javed Iqbal, since his assuming the charge, has stressed upon the anti-corruption body to improve accountability mechanism so that people may get relief from corrupt elements.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2017.

COMMENTS (1)

israr | 6 years ago | Reply the centre says we have given u ur share kp govt says we are not getting electricity at all, centre says loadshedding only in areas where their is theft well centre is lying playing about and while this all is happening PESCO charged 40m units extra to end users, now imagine if this way govt could only ask its ppl to get rid of all the debts ppl would help right ? but the nature of ppl in power is to CHEAT and BEING DISHONEST AND LIE JUST LIKE THEIR LEADER NAWAZ WHO LEADS THEM INTO DOING THIS
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