Naqvi vows to hunt down ‘orchestrators’ of electricity overbilling

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Making it clear that overbilling was not acceptable at any cost, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi on Monday ordered the power distribution companies to provide immediate relief to the masses in their electricity bills.

Addressing a press conference at the FIA office in Lahore, the interior minister said that the government would hunt down those resorting to overbilling and would not stop until and unless the practice came to an end. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured me his complete support in this regard,” he informed.

He disclosed that even some of the LESCO officials admitted that they had charged extra amounts from consumers. “It has come to light that the LESCO consumers were charged 830 million extra units in just one year,” he disclosed.

Naqvi also directed the Karachi-Electric (KE) officials to address the complaints of consumers against overbilling.

The minister said that the FC’s assistance would be sought for conducting raids against power pilferers in Peshawar, Kohat and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The minister said it was unfortunate that consumers were being charged extra units according to a well-thought-out plan. “What can be more tragic than the fact that even a poor person consuming less than 300 units of electricity has received inflated bills,” he said.

Naqvi, however, commended the FIA for launching a successful crackdown on those resorting to overbilling.

He went on to say that the government was equally serious in taking on the power thieves.

He said it was unfortunate that most incidents of electricity theft were reported from KP and Balochistan. “But we are mindful of that and are taking steps to put an end to this practice.”

He told media persons that the incident of killings of nine Punjabi passengers at Noshki, Balochistan was being investigated.

The minister informed that the government was also taking steps to upgrade the FIA’s cybercrime unit. “The government is ready for legislation whenever required,” Naqvi said, adding the government was contemplating tough legislation to control unbridled social media users.

On the murder of Amir Tamba in Lahore, he said that India had remained involved in the killings of civilians in Pakistan in the past, and that following initial investigation evidence had been found of India’s involvement in this case too. “However, nothing can be said with certainty unless the probe is complete,” Naqvi said.

Responding to a question about recent statements issued by PML-N stalwart Rana Sanaullah, the minister said he considered him his brother and would not like to comment on that.

He said he was not in the favour of raiding people’s homes due to their political affiliations. “However, there is no restriction on raiding the homes of criminals,” he clarified.

Responding to a question about Bahawalnagar incident, he said he did not think it could be labeled as a confrontation between two institutions. “After all, none can rule out a fight between two brothers living in the same home,” he said, adding, “We should refrain from exaggerating the matter.”