In a bizarre incident, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a case of electricity theft has been filed against a three-year-old toddler, reported ARY News.
After complaints from the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) and the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), an FIR was filed against the child for his alleged involvement in electricity theft.
Before the Court of the Additional Sessions Judge, the child was brought. The case was dismissed by the judge upon receiving an affidavit.
However, reportedly, officials from WAPDA/PESCO expressed apprehension regarding the toddler’s connection to the alleged crime.
Interestingly, last month, in a shocking revelation it has come to light that power theft within Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) purportedly led to a staggering loss of PKR 438 billion to Pakistan’s treasury.
Identified as the poorest performing DISCOs, the power division singled out companies in Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, Sukkur, and tribal regions for their bleak records.
The Punjab Energy Department, on April 7, raised concerns about power distribution companies overcharging government institutions. The department said that it is a burden on the provincial exchequer.
Underlining the issue, the department stressed that not only Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) but also Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO), Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO), and Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) were guilty of overcharging government departments.
“In the financial year 2022-23, the provincial departments consumed electricity worth over PKR 1.91 billion but had to pay PKR 76 billion,” the department revealed, said the report.
(With inputs from ANI)