Shehbaz Sharif Directs Harsh Penalties for Excessive Billing in Power Industry
Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken decisive action against officials of power distribution companies (DISCOs) involved in overbilling electricity consumers.
In a high-level meeting convened on Saturday to discuss reforms in the power sector, Prime Minister Shehbaz directed the immediate suspension of implicated officials and instructed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to launch a thorough investigation into the matter.
The meeting, held at the Prime Minister’s Office, was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with federal ministers and senior officials including Jam Kamal Khan, Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, and Minister of State Ali Pervaiz Malik.
Prime Minister Shehbaz underscored the gravity of the issue, emphasizing that corrupt officials responsible for inflating electricity bills must face severe penalties. He specifically highlighted the need to identify those who had unfairly billed consumers using less than 200 units per month.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz stressed the urgent shift towards renewable energy sources for electricity generation, citing Pakistan’s need to reduce dependence on imported fuels. He reaffirmed his commitment to shielding vulnerable segments of society from the repercussions of past policy failures, ensuring that the adoption of cost-effective renewable energy solutions would eventually lead to reduced monthly electricity bills for consumers. He also directed the closure of non-operational and financially burdensome government-run power plants, emphasizing the prioritization of Pakistan’s abundant solar energy potential.
Prime Minister Shehbaz called for stringent accountability measures within the power sector and urged swift progress towards sustainable energy solutions to alleviate financial burdens on the public and enhance the efficiency of power generation across Pakistan.
