Harassment: MEPCO officials detained for disconnection

"Narly 200 tubewell owners in the area owed MEPCO Rs50-60 million," says MEPCO Official.

BAHAWALPUR:

Four MEPCO officials, including an SDO, were detained on Sunday at Khangah Sharif after the team disconnected a tubewell connection for non-payment of dues.

Khangah Sharif MEPCO Meter Inspector Malik Jameel, Malik Aziz, Riaz Noon and SDO Abdul Rauf were detained at gunpoint at subdivision office as hundreds of people led by Malik Zubair Sial and Jam Fida surrounded it and told the MEPCO officials to restore the connection. SDO Abdul Rauf said they were only let go after the connection was restored. He said nearly 200 tubewell owners in the area owed MEPCO Rs50-60 million. “Whenever we take action to force recovery, they respond with violence,” he said. Both WAPDA Hydro Union and Paigam Union officials have threatened to shut down the electricity for the entire sub division if action is not taken by October 15. Musafir Khana SHO Ghulam Mohiuddin said a case had been registered against six named and 20 unidentified suspects. He said police were looking for the suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2012.