QUETTA: The Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) has decided to disconnect the power supply of consumers over the non-payment of electricity bills, ARY News reported.
QESCO has issued notices to all defaulters, including federal and provincial government departments, demanding the payment of outstanding dues.
As of March this year, the total amount owed by provincial departments has surged to Rs 47 billion.
According to the official list of defaulters:
Public Health Engineering Department: The largest defaulter with Rs 22.72 billion in arrears.
School Education Department: Owes Rs 9.40 billion.
Health Department: Owes Rs 4.16 billion.
Local Bodies: Owe Rs 3.35 billion.
Police & Prison Departments: Each owes Rs 1.53 billion.
Federal government departments are also on the list with collective dues of Rs 3.12 billion.
Other notable defaulters include the University of Balochistan (Rs 55 million) and the Provincial Election Commission (Rs 18 million).
The QESCO administration has expressed its commitment to taking indiscriminate action against all defaulters, confirming that the disconnection operation will begin shortly.
Earlier, the Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has unveiled plans to generate and distribute affordable electricity through a provincial transmission and distribution framework, aiming to provide relief to domestic consumers and boost industrial growth across the province.
He shared this vision while meeting with Danish Ambassador Maja Derrous Mortensen at the CM House, where both sides discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation, investment opportunities, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability.
The chief minister Sindh said the provincial government was working on initiatives to produce low-cost electricity and ensure its efficient supply through a Sindh-run transmission company. He said improved generation efficiency and reduced line losses would help lower electricity costs for consumers.
“Our objective is to ensure affordable electricity for households and industry alike by improving generation efficiency and reducing line losses,” he said, adding that cheaper power would directly translate into public relief and enhanced economic activity.