ISLAMABAD: The Power Division on Thursday acknowledged that power Distribution Companies (Discos) are deliberately avoiding the sharing of data with the Auditor General, which is preventing settlement of audit paras.
Testifying before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Shahida Begum of JUI-F, Secretary Power Dr. Fakhre Alam Irfan responded to queries raised by committee members regarding audit paras relating to Discos for the year 2023–24. The audit report on the accounts of the Power Division and its attached entities for 2023–24 consists of 579 paras (357 related to compliance audit and the remaining to other audit categories). So far, only 11 compliance audit paras have been discussed by the PAC in its meetings held on February 25, 2025, and July 22, 2025.
Audit officials shared the updated status of 18 paras amounting to Rs 178.193 billion. Four paras of Rs 77.05 million were recommended for settlement after verification, recovery, regularization, or acceptance of the department’s point of view. Eleven paras of Rs 1.525 billion were discussed and directives were issued at the DAC level, while 546 paras of Rs 7.024 billion were recommended for further pursuance at the DAC level. Eleven paras have been referred to courts, NAB, and FIA. Audit pointed out recoveries amounting to Rs 8.698 billion, while Rs 9.340 billion has been recovered so far.
During the proceedings, PAC members grilled chief executives of Discos for failing to provide audit documents required to settle paras, including those related to running consumers and segregation of electricity bills worth Rs 9.142 billion. The PAC observed that Discos credited huge amounts to consumers by segregating accumulated units of more than two months without taking action against meter readers, meter inspectors, and SDOs responsible for recording and charging actual monthly consumption.
Power Division says smart meters rolled out to Discos
The Director General (Audit), Power Sector, informed the committee that Discos had not shared their billing data until last week, causing delays in settling the paras.
Secretary Power, the Principal Accounting Officer, told the committee that new rules had been framed for Discos, requiring them to provide a certificate confirming that accurate documents have been shared with the audit both in hard copy and via email. He acknowledged that Discos were responsible for delays in settling paras due to their failure to provide the required documentary evidence.
PAC member Syed Hasan Tariq accused the Secretary of defending the CEOs of Discos, who, he said, were responsible for the mismanagement.
The PAC Chairperson remarked that the economy is on a downward trajectory and that the power sector’s mounting circular debt illustrates the sector’s poor performance.
In response, the Secretary Power denied defending the CEOs and said that the division would comply with any action the PAC recommends.
The PAC also reprimanded the CEO of the Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) for failing to provide the names of 43 officials involved in over billing. The Secretary further acknowledged that Discos are severely understaffed, which is affecting their performance.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.