Smart Meter Project: FIA probes Rs. 6 billion corruption scandal

LAHORE:  The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched an investigation into alleged corruption worth around Rs. 6.5 billion linked to a smart electricity meter project.

It was revealed in the FIA inquiry that the contract for 300,000 smart meters was allegedly awarded illegally.

Following the orders of the FIA, electricity distribution companies, including the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO), Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) have submitted records to the investigators.

According to sources, over 1,000 pages of records have been handed over to the FIA, covering all contracts, tenders and payments, including LESCO bidding payments. Investigators have also obtained audit objections, internal notes and warnings, as well as documents related to decisions on blacklisting of companies or allowing them to continue operations.

The FIA has geared up to examine allegations of illegal tenders, forged documents and abuse of authority.

According to the FIA sources, companies which had already been dissolved were allowed to participate unlawfully in the smart meter bidding process.

Sources said that officials from LESCO, GEPCO, MEPCO and FESCO were questioned by FIA for about three hours, and each officer submitted written answers to 20 questions.

Preliminary findings suggest possible connivance by some LESCO officials, according to FIA sources.

FIA investigators also alleged that the smart meter project caused losses of hundreds of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.