A sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Power put forth a few unique proposals on Friday to curb the theft of electricity, which includes the incentive of offering free electricity to mosques if their prayer leaders issue a fatwa (religious decree) against power theft.

According to the proposal prepared by the sub-committee, mosques which will announce a fatwa against the use of stolen electricity will be given the first 400 units of electricity free each month.

The fatwa will highlight the "repercussions of using stolen electricity in daily life", according to the recommendations in the proposal.

Furthermore, the sub-committee observed in its recommendation that "Rs40 billion loss incurred by Pepco in the last six months due to supply of electricity to 80 per cent theft/loss feeders on the direction of Power division is not acceptable" and in such cases a federal subsidy through zakat or BISP must be provided for these theft bearing feeders.

It was also observed that "load shedding has to be done on an equitable basis as directed by the Chief Justice in a suo motu case".

Therefore, it was recommended that Pepco should "evaluate the provision of two free hours electricity on feeder having theft/loss of more than 80 per cent and the saving incurred by not providing 22 hours of electricity to these very feeders".