Doctors, politicians caught stealing electricity in Lesco region

LAHORE: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) has been taking indiscriminate action against electricity thieves whether they are politicians, officers or popular figures in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur and Okara.

A grand operation against electricity thieves is being conducted as per instructions of the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) and Lesco Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engineer Shahid Haider is personally supervising these operations.

The Lesco spokesman told media here on Saturday that during the operation, many influential figures including former MPAs and MNAs were found involved in electricity theft, adding that the company was adhering to a zero tolerance policy against electricity theft and defaulters, and no pressure was being accepted. Former MP Mehar Saeed Zafar Padhyar was found involved in electricity theft and charged with a detection bill of Rs 250,000 against 8,620 units. In Kasur, PMLN District President Safia Saeed was found involved in electricity theft. She caused a loss of Rs 100,000 to the Lesco by pilfering electricity through hooking directly on transmission lines. The accused was already a defaulter of over Rs 60,000 due to which her electricity meter was disconnected and a case was registered. Senior PPP leader Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan turned out to be a Rs 610 million defaulter and his electricity connection was disconnected, while the Iqra Cold Storage, owned by Chan, was also sealed. In Nankana Circle, former chairman Mumtaz Hussain Shah’s son Raza Shah was found stealing electricity. He was charged with 2,404 detection units worth Rs 155,203. Jahangir Bara Ali, brother of former MPA Nadeem Bara, was stealing electricity from the light transmission line in Ali Razaabad Sub-Division and using a bogus meter. The accused was also supplying stolen electricity to 80 houses, for which he was charged with a detection bill amounting to Rs 1.5 million. The Lesco record revealed that he was already a defaulter of Rs 2.7 million. Now he has to pay Rs 4.3 million.

Similarly, Ganga Ram Hospital MS Dr Aamir Saleem and his wife Dr Farzana Saleem were found involved in electricity theft at their private clinic. As soon Lesco men disconnected their power supply, paramedical staffers locked them in the clinic and subjected them to severe torture and also threatened them with dire consequences. An FIR has been registered against both the doctors and they have been charged with 3,000 detection units. Arshad Khokhar, a notorious land grabber, was found involved in electricity theft and charged with a detection bill of Rs 1.4 million. Investigations revealed Khokhar was already on the list of Lesco dead defaulters and owed Rs 850,000 to the company. Ali Aaqil Janjua and Ali Abid Janjua, sons of former Nazim Chunian Riaz Hussain Janjua, were caught red-handed stealing electricity from the light transmission line through hooking. They inflicted a loss of Rs 180,000 to the Lesco.

During a search operation in the Ghumman village of Sarfraz Nagar Sub-Division, Pir Hasan Ahmed Shah was found involved in electricity theft. He was arrested on the spot by police and fined Rs 1.5 million.

Meanwhile, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) continued raids in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad, disconnecting another 178 connections, imposing a fine of Rs 5.432 million and processing 204 under-billing cases.

In Lahore, a regional team disconnected eight connections for illegal use of gas and another five for use of compressor. In Bahawalpur, a regional team disconnected six connections for use of compressor, five for illegal use while 24 under-billing cases were processed and two FIRs lodged. The company disconnected two connections for illegal use of gas, three connections for use of compressor and processed six under-billing cases in Multan. One FIR was lodged against gas thieves. In Sheikhupura, 18 connections were disconnected and 57 under-billing cases processed. In Peshawar, the company disconnected 61 connections on account of direct use of gas and illegal connections. In Rawalpindi, a regional team disconnected three gas connections and 10 under-billing cases were processed while imposing a fine of Rs 4 million. An SNGPL team in Mardan disconnected 14 connections for illegal use of gas, processed 100 domestic under-billing cases while imposing a fine of Rs 0.061 million against gas theft. In Sialkot, the company disconnected four connections for use of compressor and five connections for illegal use of gas. In Sargodha, two connections were disconnected for illegal use of gas.

In Gujranwala, four meters were disconnected for use of compressor and another four for illegal use of gas. The company imposed a fine of Rs 0.175m in gas theft and under-billing cases. In Gujrat, five connections were disconnected for illegal use of gas. The company disconnected 18 connections for illegal use of gas and seven under-billing cases were processed in Islamabad. In Sahiwal, four connections were disconnected for illegal use. A regional team in Faisalabad disconnected five connections for illegal use of gas and another two for use of compressor.