PESHAWAR/DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) has disconnected power supply to 316 transformers in several regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during its ongoing crackdown on prolonged nonpayment of electricity bills and electricity theft over the past few days.

According to the power utility company, the drive, which has been launched towards the end of last month, has seen its operational teams switching off power supply to transformers in Pesco regions in Peshawar, Khyber, Mardan, Swabi, Swat, Dera Ismail Khan and Buner for nonpayment of utility bill arrears running into millions of rupees.

In Khyber circle alone, 116 transformers have been disconnected over non-payment of Rs117 million while in Peshawar circle, eight transformers have been switched off for nonpayment of Rs22 million in power bill dues.

In Swat circle, 94 power transformers have been switched off over nonpayment of Rs100 million utility bill arrears.

Also, 41 power transformers have been disconnected in Bannu over nonpayment of bills and 44 in Dera Ismail Khan. On Tuesday, the power utility disconnected power supply to 13 transformers over nonpayment of Rs8.8 million dues.

In addition to this, another transformer was disconnected as all consumers getting electricity from it were using illegal connections (kunda).

A spokesperson for the power utility said that power supply was disconnected to those areas where consumers were not paying electricity bills for several months and were not listening to repeated notices to clear their dues.

He said that the campaign was on the directions of the Pesco chief executive officer, Akhtar Hameed Khan, and power utility teams were negotiating with locals in khuli kutcheries.

He said that power supply to those areas was immediately restored where locals paid their bills and promised to desist from electricity theft.

Meanwhile, Pesco and district joint task force continued a crackdown on electricity theft and nonpayment of dues in different parts of Dera Ismail Khan district on Tuesday, disconnecting five transformers, removing four others and eliminating 25 illegal connections.

The operation was led by the superintending engineer of Dera circle, Hizbullah Khan Mehsud. Two people were also arrested during the operation and handed over to Cantt police. Pesco submitted documents and letters to police, seeking registration of seven cases.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2026