Stop helping the kunda system

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has approved the national energy policy, which states that strong laws will be put in place to deter electricity thieves. Now, all around Pakistan, and especially in Punjab, the FIA is on the move. It is obvious that electricity thieves are quite strong — so much so, that the local government is helpless against them and because of that the federal unit is in action.

During the tenures of all past governments, when similar laws were passed, the media used to tell people to keep an eye out for thieves and report them to Wapda. Reporting this crime was stated to be a national duty. Now, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is working to make new laws despite the fact that the laws already exist but are never implemented. We know that electricity theft is not possible without the help of Wapda officials. A good piece of news is that electricity theft has been caught in Multan where around 400 homes were being provided electricity illegally. Is it possibly that Wapda didn’t know about this? Those who are responsible for questioning the thieves are aiding them. Why is the law not imposed here? Because the thieves are powerful people.

When the poor cannot pay their bills, they receive a notice the very next month, to pay the bill two days in advance and the paid bill copy is to be submitted to the Wapda office; if they do not comply with this, their electricity connection is cut off.

All across Pakistan, the electricity kunda system is used with such bravado that nobody dares to point fingers towards the lawbreakers. When television reporters can see these kundas, why can’t Wapda representatives?

A good system would be to catch and fine Wapda officers of those areas where electricity theft is found. Such a move would probably control 50 per cent of theft in all areas. Another good suggestion would be to not give any free electricity units to the employees but instead, each worker’s salary should be raised against their gathered electricity bill amount. If nothing else, this will stop Wapda employees from wasting electricity, just like the rest of us waste water.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th,2013.