- Power Division fails to submit a list of corrupt officers despite lapse of 7 months
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is reportedly disappointed with ‘inaction’ against corrupt officers of power distribution companies (DISCOs), allegedly responsible for power theft and line losses worth Rs100 billion per annum.
According to sources in the power sector, the Prime Minister had earlier issued a directive in October 2022 to tackle the issue of power theft/line losses and implement the measures proposed by the Power Division. However, the non-implementation of his directive has left the Prime Minister deeply disappointed, and he has sought a report on implementation of his directive.
Failure of the Power Division to submit list of the corrupt officers has not only impeded the progress on reforms in the power sector but has also raised serious concerns about “patronage of corrupt practices” within the sector, sources added.
Sources also said that the federal cabinet in October 2022 had also taken note of the presentation by power division on power theft/line losses and proposed measures to curtail the same. The cabinet had directed the sponsoring division to present a complete picture of requirement of manpower, along with a transparent mechanism for recruitment in the next meeting.
They said that the Power Division was asked to prepare a list of corrupt officers posted in power distribution companies (DISCOs) based on an objective criterion. They said the cabinet had also constituted a nine-member committee under the Minister of Defence (Convener) to examine measures to curtail theft and line losses by Rs100 billion per annum, besides other stepwise power sector reforms, such as running DISCOs on PPP (public-private partnership) mode, and directed to submit recommendations to the cabinet within two weeks.
The committee constituted by the cabinet was comprised of Minister for Defence (Convener), Minister for Power, Minister for Commerce, Minister for Poverty Alleviation & Social Safety, Minister for Housing & Works, Minister for Science & Technology, Advisor to Prime Minister on Political & Public Affairs, Secretary Power Division and any other member(s) the committee wishes to co-opt, said sources.
Recently, the Cabinet Division has also issued an Office Memorandum on May 4, asking for the latest progress on the implementation status of the un-implemented cabinet decision regarding power theft/line losses worth of Rs100 billion per year which will be submitted to the federal cabinet, they added.
“Updated report on the prescribed performa on the implementation status/current progress of the above-mentioned decision duly signed by an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary, may kindly be furnished to this Division, immediately for submitting a report to the federal cabinet”, say official documents, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today/Profit.
It is pertinent to mention that the failure to take action against corrupt DISCO officers has become a cause for concern, and it is yet to be seen how the situation will unfold.
