No free electricity for power sector employees, directs PAC

FOOLS_NIGHTMARE · Jun 24, 2022

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday directed not to provide free electricity to the officers and employees of the power sector.

A meeting of the PAC was held with chairman Noor Alam Khan in chair. During the meeting, the PAC expressed resentment over situation of unannounced load shedding.

Speaking on the occasion, the committee chairman asked why schedule for load shedding is not issued. He said that Secretary Power Division told the committee that power outages are high in areas where there is power pilferage and the power sector is stuck quagmire and it is unable to even meet the cost of generating electricity.

The secretary said that subsidy was being given to around 8 million power consumers, adding that how would it [power sector] meet its cost if subsidy would be given to two-third consumers.

The committee accepted the proposal to give allowances to the officers and employees of the power sector instead of providing them free electricity.

Sheikh Rohail Asghar said that the Discos should have their security force to stop power theft, while Afzal Dhandla said that the big thieves are in alliance with Wapda while the families with single-fan bore the brunt of power theft.

Noor Alam Khan also expressed anger over absence of K-Electric CEO. During the meeting, the PAC chairman while proposing giving documents to the media said that the masses must be aware about what question their representatives are raising.

PTI Senator Shibli Faraz said that any unauthentic or unverified this shouldn’t be handed over to media.

Power tariff

As nation faces rising fuel cost and inflation, the power tariff is also likely to increase by whopping Rs11.34 for K-Electric consumers.

According to sources, power tariff is likely to increase under the head of fuel price adjustment for month of May. Consumers will burdened by additional Rs22.65 billion.