Lahore: In a concerted effort to combat electricity theft, senior officials from the Punjab Police, along with representatives from Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), convened a follow-up video link meeting at the Central Police Office. The meeting, presided over by DIG Operations Punjab Waqas Nazir, focused on reviewing and intensifying ongoing operations against those involved in electricity theft across the region.

According to Punjab Police, the meeting aimed to enhance the effectiveness of the crackdown on electricity thieves, who are deemed responsible for significant financial losses to the national exchequer. Key participants included SSP Operations Lahore Tasawer Iqbal and Regional Police Officers (RPOs) and District Police Officers (DPOs) from Sheikhupura and Sahiwal regions, who joined via video link.

DIG Nazir directed the police officers to expedite the registration of FIRs based on complaints from LESCO and to prioritize actions against major criminals involved in electricity theft in areas including Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana, Kasur, and Sahiwal. He emphasized the need for a collaborative approach between the police and LESCO teams to tackle this issue more effectively.

Furthermore, DIG Nazir set a target to improve the conviction rate in electricity theft cases to 85% and stressed the importance of promptly bringing proclaimed offenders to justice. He also called for enhanced data sharing between the police and LESCO to correct any discrepancies in records and directed that complaints against LESCO employees who facilitate electricity theft should be forwarded to the FIA for further investigation.

The meeting also featured briefings and proposals from officials of the police, LESCO, and FIA, focusing on strategies to strengthen the ongoing efforts against electricity theft.