Power Sector Scandal: Rs. 244 Billion Overbilled, Dead Also Charged for Electricity

Islamabad: A major audit report released in the federal capital has exposed the worst financial irregularities in the country’s power sector. The report has revealed that 8 power distribution companies under the Power Division overbilled a total of Rs244 billion.
According to the audit report, ISCO, LESCO, HESCO, MEPCO, PESCO, KESCO, SEPCO, and TESCO sent additional bills not only to domestic but also agricultural consumers and even deceased people. MEPCO issued electricity bills of Rs49.6 million to deceased people, while 5 companies sent bills of millions of units to consumers even for zero unit consumption.
In just one month, more than 278,000 consumers were overbilled by Rs47.81 billion, and 904.6 million units were billed additionally during the year 2023-24.
The audit report states that Kesco overbilled Rs 148 billion to hide performance on agricultural tubewells, while 10 companies issued additional bills of Rs 18.64 billion to 1,432 feeders, the records of which have not yet been provided to the audit authorities.
The worrying thing is that no action has been taken against the officers involved in these financial irregularities and extortion of money from the public. The audit authorities have directed the companies to submit records so that the facts can be ascertained.