Islamabad: In a significant move to address electricity theft and distribution inefficiencies, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Division Senator Ahad Cheema and Federal Minister for Power Division Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari co-chaired a meeting to initiate a technical audit of all power distribution companies (DISCOs) in Pakistan. The audit seeks to identify the extent and causes of power theft and losses, as well as their geographical distribution.

According to Press Information Department, the Committee, formed under a directive from the Prime Minister, received presentations from key agencies including the Power Division, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication. These briefings covered power theft, distribution losses, recoveries, and technology-based interventions in the power sector.

The decision to conduct a comprehensive technical audit was reached after detailed discussions. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has been tasked with providing technological support and ensuring the audit is conducted transparently and credibly. An Expression of Interest will soon be issued to engage qualified technical experts for the audit.

Senator Ahad Cheema emphasized the need for a thorough diagnostic analysis to understand the root causes of power theft and losses. He assured that the government would not transfer the burden of inefficiencies within the distribution system to consumers, highlighting that overbilling is unacceptable.

Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari reiterated the Power Division’s commitment to controlling theft and losses, especially in high-theft DISCOs. The Committee was also briefed on solarisation pilot projects in regions served by PESCO and QESCO, designed to mitigate theft and line-loss issues through solar energy solutions.

The meeting reviewed ongoing technology-based measures and stressed the importance of digital tools and reliable data for detecting irregularities and enhancing monitoring. The co-chairs noted progress in reducing overbilling and warned against any attempts to hide theft, losses, or inefficiencies through excessive billing.

The Committee also assessed the recovery performance of DISCOs, expressing satisfaction with improvements observed this year. The co-chairs emphasized the need to maintain this progress through better governance, stronger monitoring, and targeted action in high-loss areas.