Electricity, gas distribution companies to establish complaint centres

Most of complaints are related to overcharging, presumptive billing, loadshedding, low voltage and gas pressures

ISLAMABAD: In view of a large number of complaints received every day and to address public grievances in a timely manner, the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat has directed electricity and gas distribution companies across Pakistan to establish public complaints resolution mechanism and automation system on an urgent basis.

The Federal Ombudsman Secretariat has been receiving over 35,000 complaints against electricity distribution companies and around 6,000 complaints against gas distribution companies every year from across the country.



Most of the complaints are related to overcharging, presumptive billing, rise in system losses, unannounced loadshedding, delays in new connections, inaccurate meter reading, low voltage and gas pressures and delay in receiving gas and electricity bills.

Senior Advisor (Law) at Federal Ombudsan, Hafiz Ahsaan Khokhar told The Express Tribune that every year the Secretariat is receiving a large number of complaints against Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and electricity  distribution companies. "Complaints against electricity distribution companies far exceed those made against gas distribution companies and the irony is that these complaints are not being addressed well on time,” he said.

The Federal Ombudsaman Secretariat, therefore, has directed all the electricity and gas distribution companies across Pakistan to establish a public complaints resolution mechanism and automation system.

“The aim behind establishing this system is to provide a platform to the people to directly register complaints with the electricity/gas distributor of their respective area and these companies will be bound to address their complaints within 15 days,” he said, adding that there will be tracking system to monitor these complaints.



These systems will also be linked with the CMIS of the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat. If any of these electricity or gas distributor companies fail to address public complaints within the given time frame then these complaints will directly be received by the Federal Ombudsman who will have full mandate to resolve them, Khokar informed this reporter.

The Federal Ombudsman on January 3, 2018 has called a meeting to review the implementation status of public complaints resolution mechanism and automation system.