PESHAWAR: At least 109 people were arrested in different areas of Peshawar over non-payment of electricity bills and theft charges, ARY News reported on Wednesday.
As per details, the district administration and Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), in a joint crackdown in Liaquatabad, Charsadda Road and others of the city, arrested at least 109 people over failing to pay their dues and being involved in power theft.
During the operation against defaulters as many as 18 transformers were removed from the areas where consumers were not paying their bills regularly.
Earlier on November 18, the city administration of Peshawar, had disconnected 944 illegal electricity connections and arrested at least 156 people in different areas on charges of electricity theft.
According to officials, the administration had recovered Rs 30 million from defaulters. While more than 40 transformers were removed from areas where residents had not paid dues.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had established a Reporting Centre at the Energy and Power Department for effective supervision and monitoring of the nationwide campaign against power theft in the province.
https://arynews.tv/en/156-arrested-over-power-theft-in-peshawar/
On October 22, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed for immediate steps to curtail electricity prices and reduce additional burden on consumers due to pilferage and other damages in the power sector.
It was decided to launch a crackdown on power thieves. A special task force has been set up under chief minister Punjab to stop the power theft and deputy commissioners at the district level will oversee the crackdown against power theft.
PM Imran directed the power division to present a detailed plan for ensuring the availability of quality transformers.
Minister for Power Division Omer Ayub Khan had also directed the six power distribution companies to ensure 100 percent recovery of current electricity billing amounting to over 83 billion rupees for betterment of liquidity of power sector.
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