The nationwide crackdown against electricity and gas theft is currently underway in all parts of the country. The yesterday’s media specifically covered press releases issued by the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) Lahore Circle and Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (IESCO) claiming towery performances against massive theft of precious and highly needed power commodities by the habitual criminals. Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) during its ongoing gas theft crackdown, disconnected another 2,436 connections in Punjab, KP and Islamabad with Rs 28.73 million fine imposed. Where as, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) has claimed to have recovered Rs 80.83 million from electricity defaulters, registered 1186 FIRs, and sent 994 people to Adiala Jail in its ongoing drive.
Illegal electricity theft and unauthorized use of power without proper metering or payment are widespread problems in the country. It causes billions of rupees in financial losses for the government and relevant power companies, contributing to power shortages, overbilling, or circular debt of the government entities. The volume and scope of the problems is so gigantic that concerned companies and LEAs are continuously cracking down against the culprits over the past almost six months but still pilferage and illegal use of electricity and natural gas continue in a majority of the areas. Realistically, the people who had been using free electricity and gas for decades, have now become habitual of theft and currently not ready to pay bills despite imposition of punishments and fines by the authorities. So far, all strategies and measures including the installation of smart meters, technical monitoring, public awareness campaigns, and legal prosecution and punishments of the offenders failed to stop culprits from theft of unbilled government resources.
According to the reports, miscreants again started using the kunda system and illegal connection of electricity and gas despite paying a penalty for their crime and misconduct. Generally, our nation has lost the divine moral principles and high standards like honesty, truthfulness, nationalism and loyalty to the employer, organization, department and in broader terms patriotism with the country. Government property and national resources are being concerned as the everybody ‘s possessions or heirloom from the grandparents. Meanwhile, theft, beggery, encroachment, corruption,misuse of authority and violation of the law are not being perceived as social evils, crime or misconduct in today’s Pakistan. Such behaviour has turned the country into a heaven for beggars, corrupts, criminals and crooks who in turn, have destroyed each aspect of our national life. There is a need for the implementation of more harsh measures, including rigorous imprisonment and social boycott of the power pilferers so these people abandon their long held theft habit and stop animosity toward society and the country as well.
