Power sector woes: caretaker PM Kakar orders immediate action against electricity theft

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Monday received a detailed briefing on the power sector and directed relevant authorities to take immediate action against electricity theft.

The interim prime minister also sought daily progress reports on action against those elements involved in power theft.

The development was shared on the official account of Government of Pakistan on X (formerly Twitter).

The meeting also discussed overall electricity production capacity, annual output and transmission, and utilisation of energy mix.

15 months: financial impact of power theft estimated at Rs500bn

The interim government resorted to take action against power theft, after it received severe backlash over inflated power bills, which led to protests across the country.

Protests erupted in different parts over higher electricity bills consumers received in the month of July. Initiated by the masses, the protests were soon joined by political parties as well as the business communities, forcing the government to ponder over the matter.

PM Kakar convened a high-level huddle on August 27 to mull relief measures, where he directed the finance and energy ministries to formulate a plan within the next 48 hours.

He also sought a detailed report on free electricity units being provided to different government employees.

“Immediate measures will be taken in government offices to reduce electricity usage. Consultations will also be held with all provinces. The caretaker government, staying within its mandate, will make prompt efforts to provide as much relief as possible to the people,” the interim prime minister had said.

However, the interim government showed inability to provide immediate relief without approval of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as the increase in power tariff was a commitment to the lender, made by the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) led government.