Power Minister orders Immediate disciplinary action against worst-performing field officers

Federal Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, has issued strict directions to all electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) across Pakistan to initiate immediate disciplinary proceedings against their worst-performing Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) and Executive Engineers (XENs).

According to the press statement, acting on the Minister’s directive, Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) and Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO) have become the first DISCOs to initiate immediate disciplinary action, including suspension, against their worst-performing officers on account of failure in the resolution of consumer complaints registered through the national 118 Call Centre system (CCMS PLUS).

All remaining Distribution Companies (DISCOs) across Pakistan are in the process of initiating similar action against their respective worst-performing officers.

The Minister’s directive followed his personal and comprehensive review of complaint handling performance data extracted from the Customer Complaint Management System (CCMS PLUS), Pakistan’s national 118 call centre, covering the period from October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.

The analysis found that tens of thousands of complaints relating to power outages, voltage fluctuations, line faults and transformer failures were either resolved late or left unattended beyond prescribed timelines.

PESCO has suspended three SDOs and one XEN, while another XEN has also been placed under suspension. The officials were removed from operational duties and attached to headquarters or regional offices pending further proceedings.

SEPCO has suspended one SDO and one former XEN, both of whom have been directed to report to the SEPCO Headquarters for marking attendance. These orders have been issued with the approval of the CEO, SEPCO.

The accountability drive is not limited to PESCO and SEPCO. All other DISCOs, including LESCO, GEPCO, FESCO, IESCO, MEPCO, HAZECO, HESCO, QESCO, and TESCO, are in the process of initiating disciplinary proceedings against their respective worst-performing officers identified through CCMS PLUS data. Across these DISCOs, a combined over 100 SDOs and XENs have been identified as worst performers and are facing imminent departmental action, including show-cause notices, suspension, and transfer to non-operational postings.

Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari expressed grave disappointment over the failure of the identified officers to fulfil their primary duty of ensuring timely redressal of consumer complaints.

He stated that the 118-call centre platform was established specifically to bridge the gap between citizens and electricity service providers, and that any officer treating this system with indifference is directly undermining the government’s commitment to consumer welfare.

The minister has also ordered the introduction of a weekly monitoring mechanism to track complaint resolution performance at divisional and sub-divisional levels.

The Power Division has also announced that performance rankings of all SDOs and XENs will be published on a quarterly basis and made available to the public, reinforcing the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the power sector.

He made clear that officers found guilty of continued negligence will face escalated disciplinary actions, including suspension, transfer to non-sensitive postings, and compulsory retirement where warranted.