PESHAWAR, Jan 25: The federal Minister of State for Water and Power Amir Muqam Khan has directed the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) to stop power supply to defaulters in the provincial and federal public sectors who fail to clear the company's dues within 15 days.

He asked the Pesco Chief Executive, Brig Tahir Saeed Malik, to serve notices to provincial and federal government departments asking them to clear their dues within 15 days, and stop supply of power in case of their failure to do so.

The minister issued the instruction during a meeting here on Tuesday. Pesco chief briefed the minister on the company's affairs and matters relating to line losses, revenue, arrears, development projects and arrears payable by defaulters belonging to public and private sectors, says a press release.

Amir Muqam Khan was informed that federal and provincial public sectors owed Rs1.3 billion to Pesco. Apart from Rs1.3 billion arrears recoverable from public sector concerns, over Rs9 billion arrears was payable by defaulters in private sector, says the press release.

The minister of state also took exception to the practice of excess billing by Pesco staff and asked the authorities concerned to rectify the situation by taking measures to end over-billing.

Mr Khan also directed the company to accelerate execution of development schemes and said that schemes being executed under the Khushal Pakistan Programme and Tameer-i- Pakistan programme should be completed by March 30.