Lahore: Directed by Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab Police has significantly intensified its crackdown on electricity theft across the province. The effort has led to tens of thousands of cases and arrests in the first half of the year, showcasing a robust response to safeguard national resources.

According to Punjab Police, a total of 53,918 cases have been registered against electricity thieves in the past six months, with 28,393 suspects detained. In Lahore alone, police actions have resulted in 16,397 cases and nearly as many arrests. The police have completed legal proceedings in 32,822 of these cases, imposing fines and punishments on thousands to rectify losses to the national exchequer.

Inspector General of Punjab, Dr. Usman Anwar, emphasized the allocation of 660 police officers per district to assist in the ongoing campaign and urged all supervisory officers to escalate efforts against those compromising the nation’s financial integrity. He reiterated a zero-tolerance policy and called for expedited actions across the board.