KARACHI: K-Electric (KE) has removed the maximum number of hooks from the Korangi area, with a count of 17,500, during its ongoing operation to combat power theft this year.
The teams of power utility that claims to supply electricity within a 6500 square kilometres territory including Karachi and its adjoining areas, continue to work round the clock to conduct these drives and eliminate the web of cables illegally gaining access to electricity throughout the city, said a communique issued by KE.
The company has successfully conducted almost 14,000 drives this year, equivalent to 1,800 per month, to remove 94,000 illegal hook connections.
The aggregate weight of these illegal cables has been ascertained to be about 130,000 kilograms.
These drives have been conducted in Baldia, Bin Qasim, Defence, Gulshan, Gulistan-e-Johar, Korangi, Orangi, Society, Surjani, and Uthal with the highest number of drives taking place in Bin Qasim, totalling 3,400 from January 2023 till date.
As many as 16,300 illegal hooks have been dismantled from this region, weighing 21,000 kilograms. Almost 50 drives have also been conducted in areas of Defence.
“A constant provision of electricity is not possible in areas with high incidences of theft and non-payment of bills which is why criminalizing power theft is vital. Where theft reduces, the power supply can improve. This significant legislative development is expected to play a crucial role in curbing power theft within Pakistan,” stated Director Communications KE Imran Rana.
“We commend the Government of Pakistan’s proactive stance in penalizing offenders and pursuing the recovery of unpaid bills. We remain grateful to the law enforcement authorities and the city’s administration for their outright support in curbing this menace. We are also fully aware of the challenges confronting the sector and are committed to cooperating with the officials by providing information that can aid the government in effectively combating this issue in Pakistan.”
The Caretaker Sindh government has also formed a task force led by the Home Secretary for an anti-theft electricity campaign.
A notification issued to this effect stated that the Sindh Secretary of Energy, representative of Power Division, Government of Pakistan, Additional IG Police Sindh, Commissioner, DIG (concerned regions), CEO of HESCO/SEPCO and any other co-opted member to be nominated by the convener, will be among the members of the task force.
The task force will conceive a mechanism for taking the initiative across Sindh against electricity theft by targeting high-loss commercial, agriculture, industrial and domestic connections and non-recovery from defaulters.
Meanwhile, the Sindh police officials are also asked to coordinate with respective area heads of power electricity distribution companies and should extend all necessary assistance to the teams during their operation and campaign, including registration of FIRs and arrest of culprits involved in the theft of electricity.
The officials are directed to furnish the range and zine-wise details of cases registered on their complaints to the IGP Operations Room, on a weekly basis that is every Friday.