ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry for Water and Power says it has devised a mechanism to address consumer complaints after power distribution companies were found to have charged excessive electricity costs from consumers.

News of the over-billing in the month of September had lead to a public outcry, forcing the federal government to announce an investigation into the matter.

Unsatisfied by an audit report on the matter presented to him on Friday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered a special high-powered committee to examine afresh the issue of the inflated electricity bills.

Addressing a press conference here today, Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali said that a survey will be conducted at the Union Council (UC) levels to resolve the complaints of overbilling.

The minister said that electricity consumers would also be updated regarding their electricity bills through SMS.

He vowed that a transparent audit will be conducted, every bill will be checked thoroughly, and that electricity connections of all institutions as well as individual consumers will be disconnected if found that they are not paying their bills.

“It will not be fair to disconnect individual consumers’ electricity and spare departments,” he said.

Also read: PM orders fresh probe into overbilling

He said that the electricity of the Capital Development Authority had already been disconnected on account of non-payment of bills.

The minister further claimed that the government was proactively executing diverse programmes to resolve the country’s energy crisis.

He said that work on Neelum-Jhelum Power project was underway and its first phase would be completed by 2015, adding that ongoing projects would be completed on time.

He said that, on directives of the prime minister, transmission lines will be upgraded further to improve power supply.

Pakistan is in the grip of its worst energy crisis in modern history which causes power outages up to 20 hours in parts of the country and has hammered industrial output.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) swept general elections in May 2013 on a manifesto focusing on revival of a faltering economy and resolution of the energy crisis.