Pakistan

FIA awarded special powers to prosecute electricity thieves

Provincial task forces set up to keep a check on electricity theft.

Asad Kharal July 19, 2013

Provincial task forces set up to keep electricity theft in check. DESIGN: FAIZAN SETHI/FILE

LAHORE: The federal government has given special powers to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday to take legal action against those stealing electricity.

Sources confirmed that the move was initiated in accordance with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's directives and that Section 39A of the Electricity Act has been added to FIA's list of offences as a result.

Provincial task forces have have also been set up to keep a check on electricity theft. They have been constituted in all four FIA zonal offices in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Deputy Director FIA Immigration Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore was nominated as the head of the provincial task force, while acting Deputy Director FIA Anti-Trafficking Unit Lahore was appointed as a senior member.

The country head of anti-electricity theft unit Hussain Asghar assigned the FIA Punjab task force to initiate inquiry against CEO Gujranwala Electricity Power Company (GEPCO) Mehboob Alam, accused of corrupt practices and electricity theft.

Under the new powers given to FIA, electricity theft cases can be registered in respective FIA anti-corruption police stations.

COMMENTS (4)

Parvez | 10 years ago | Reply

If by this move electricty theft goes down..............its a good thing.

Hassan | 10 years ago | Reply Electricity thieves should b prosecuted.But Mian NS sahib who will prosecute meter readers and sdo's who put extra units in our bills.Is it a crime to get electricity connection and then if my usage is just 40 units a month and my house is vacant and then an idiot named meter reader will write 500 units in my bill and will also say that it's compulsory to use this much load if you have installed a meter.There are clear rules regarding minimum usage in which case just minimum charges are charged from consumer but who will tell these wapda thieves and government thieves to implement that?? So Mian Sahib have mercy on us and implement this as well if u have some moral courage.