Power theft crackdown: Rs4.59 bln recovered from defaulters

The Power Division has recovered Rs4.59 billion during a countrywide power theft crackdown, ARY News reported on Friday. 

To minimize the losses in the power sector, the caretaker government and military leadership of the country in September decided to launch a countrywide crackdown on power thieves.

As per details shared by the Power Division, Rs4.59 billion have been recovered from 22 to 29 October, while over 5,448 people were arrested during the crackdown.

Rs1.91 billion were recovered during crackdown in Punjab and Islamabad, while Rs1.08 billion from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

From Sindh, Rs1.39 billion were recovered in terms of fine from the electricity pilfers. Rs0.21 billion were recovered from Balochistan during October 22 to 29, the power division said.

Read more: Mardan becomes Pakistan’s first power theft-free city

On October 18, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Mardan was declared loadshedding-free city under the “Zero-Theft, Zero-Loadshedding” initiative launched by the power division.

Mardan had been facing power outages for more than six hours a day.

Secretary Power Division Rashid Langrial launched “The Mardan Model” in Islamabad, under which there would be no loadshedding in the city as the power theft has ended and recoveries have also improved in the region. With this Mardan has become Pakistan’s first power theft-free city.