F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday chaired a high level meeting on stoppage of electricity theft and directed that immediate disciplinary action should be initiated against the officers and exemplary punishment should be given to them for abetting the crime and causing loss of billions of dollars.
He said it was their responsibility to create a stable system by taking measures like launching a campaign to stop electricity theft. The present situation of the economy could not bear the problem of electricity theft, he added. He said a strategy should be formulated at the earliest for decreasing line losses and for upgradation of transmission lines. He said generation companies were a burden on the national exchequer and work should be started on their privatization at the earliest.
A report on complete plan for solarization of tubewells in Balochistan should be presented, he added. During the meeting, it was decided to install smart meters on transformers under the public sector development programme. Feeder monitors would be deployed at the feeders which were causing huge losses. The meeting was briefed that the areas with low rate of electricity theft would have less loadshedding.
An amendment was brought in section 462(O) of Pakistan Penal Code through an ordinance to make electricity theft a cognizable offense. Due to the anti-theft campaign in September last year, the rate of electricity theft had seen a considerable drop. The prime minister said under the anti-theft campaign, since September 2023, Rs 57 billion were recovered.
A whole of the government approach was adopted during the campaign to stop theft of electricity. Under the electricity anti-theft campaign, 45,777 people in Punjab, 1250 in Sindh, 5121 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 181 were arrested in Balochistan. During the campaign, 350 personnel of distribution companies were suspended for their bad performance or abetment.
It was told that the task forces set up at district and division levels for stopping theft of electricity would be given part of the recovery amount for their good performance. Federal Minister for Power Awais Ahmed Leghari, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Industry and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadiq Malik and relevant officers attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the Naval Headquarters here wherein he appreciated the services of Pakistan Navy to safeguard the maritime interest of the country despite limited resources.
The prime minister, who was accompanied by the federal ministers, especially lauded the professional response of the Pakistan Navy to foil the recent terrorist attack on Naval Airbase Turbat. Upon arrival, the prime minister was welcomed by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf and was presented Guard of Honour by a smartly turned out naval contingent.
The prime minister also laid a wreath at the Shuhada monument and afterwards was introduced to the Principal Staff Officers of Naval Headquarters. During the meeting, matters pertaining to the Regional Maritime Security milieu and operational readiness of the Pakistan Navy were discussed.
The Naval Chief apprised the prime minister on roles, capabilities and future modernization plans of the Pakistan Navy. Later on a detailed briefing was presented by Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) on the prevailing maritime environment, challenges being faced by Pakistan Navy and its response to meet the challenges.
The prime minister was especially apprised about the capability requirements of Pakistan Navy to meet the current and future challenges being faced by the country in the maritime domain. He was also apprised of the measures to benefit from economic prospects of the maritime sector.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed that a strong economy held the key to meet all the challenges faced by the country. Towards the end, the prime minister also visited the Command Operations Centre of Pakistan Navy. The naval chief thanked the prime minister for his visit and reposing his confidence in the Navy.
He also assured that Pakistan Navy with Allah’s help would continue to defend the country’s sea frontiers and maritime interests and would shoulder the responsibilities with honour both during peace and war.
