Islamabad, In an effort to curb the rampant power theft in key areas, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has issued directives to speed up the ongoing anti-power theft drive in Azad Kashmir, Quetta, and Sindh.

According to a news release by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, these directives were conveyed during a review meeting held in Islamabad concerning the anti-power theft initiative. Recent findings from the campaign, presented at the meeting, disclosed that since September, there have been 19,415 arrests linked to power theft with 39,836 cases registered. Moreover, 189 officials found complicit in these electricity thefts have faced suspensions.

Mardan stood out as a shining example in the drive, with theft rates plummeting from 43 percent to a mere 13 percent. The campaign’s combined efforts, backed by both federal and provincial governments, have also led to the recovery of billions in rupees.

Expressing his satisfaction, the Prime Minister applauded the Ministry of Energy, the power distribution entities, and the relevant provincial and federal agencies for the campaign’s fruitful outcomes. Additionally, Kakar emphasized the need to hasten the solarization process of agricultural tube-wells throughout the nation.

On a closing note, the Prime Minister has sought a detailed report from the concerned officials, focusing on any resistance encountered during the anti-theft operations and other challenges prevalent in Balochistan.