PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the officials concerned to adopt a systematic strategy for discouraging power theft, reducing line losses and bringing efficiency to the overall performance of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco).

According to a statement, the chief minister presided over a high level meeting here on Monday and directed the officials to upgrade transmission lines and form combined teams of district administration, police and Pesco officials for accelerated recovery and discouraging power theft in the province.

Advisor to Chief Minister on Energy Hamayatullah, provincial government spokesperson Ajmal Wazir, Chief Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch, IGP Salahuddin Mehsud, Additional Chief Secretary Shehzad Bangash, finance secretary, chief executive of Pesco and other administrative secretaries attended the meeting.

The meeting focused on the campaign launched against power theft. It also discussed weaknesses of Pesco, inefficient system of electricity and other problems.

The meeting was informed that 897 FIRs were already registered against the power thieves and 720 power thieves were arrested while 90 illegal transformers were removed from the system.

The chief minister ordered accelerated efforts to make the campaign a success. He said that provincial government, police and district administration would provide all out support in the campaign. However, major power losses areas should be the focus of the campaign.

Mr Khan said that Pesco should take action against its officials if they were involved in power theft. He directed the officials to work out a mechanism for discouraging power theft in the province. The mechanism, he said, should include improvement of Pesco’s performance, overcoming its weaknesses and eliminating overbilling.

The chief minister said that Pesco should start its own accountability and then launch crackdown on all power thieves. He said that Pesco should work out a process for recovery of arrears through easy installments. He said that Pesco should facilitate people in meter installation to make the anti-power theft campaign a success.

He directed for transparency in posting and transfers in Pesco, saying government would never compromise on transparency as it was prerequisite for independence and empowerment of public sector institutions.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2018