PAC orders end to free electricity to employees

Meeting expresses annoyance at absence of K-Electric CEO

ISLAMABAD:

The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Thursday ordered withdrawal of free of charge electricity facility to the employees of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and power distribution companies (DISCOs).

Committee Chairman Noor Alam Khan, during a meeting, expressed his annoyance over the absence of chief executive officer of the Karachi-Electric (K-E). He said that summons would be issued if the K-E CEO does not appear in the next meeting.

PAC reviewed the audit report of the Power Division for 2018-19. The PAC chairman expressed concern over the provision of free electricity to the officers and employees of Wapda and DISCOs. He directed that free electricity should not be provided to the power sector employees.

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When the power division secretary pointed out that an abrupt abolition of the facility risked spread of anxiety among the employees, the PAC recommended the provision of allowance instead of free electricity.

The secretary informed the committee about the shortcomings and inadequacies of his department. He said that 8 million electricity consumers are being given subsidy. He added that cost could not be covered if cheap electricity was provided to two-thirds of consumers.

During the meeting, PAC reprimanded the K-E officials. Chairman Noor Alam Khan said that if the K-E CEO did not come to the PAC meeting next time, summons would be issued. People of Karachi are dying and you are not taking PAC seriously,” he told K-E officials.

Also during the meeting, the PAC chairman had an altercation with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Shibli Faraz after the former ordered staff to provide the copy of every document discussed at the PAC meeting to the media.

Faraz vehemently opposed the idea, saying that no unconfirmed or inconclusive matter should be distributed to the media. However, Khan replied that he wanted that everything in PAC be shown to the people.

“The public must know what questions their representatives are raising. I have a report that Rs14 billion was spent in a single day, I will present the report with proof. There are so many people in the country you cannot touch,” he remarked.