Over 260 cases of electricity theft uncovered in LESCO’s crackdown

LAHORE: Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) conducted a rigorous anti-power theft campaign across five districts, unveiling a total of 265 cases of electricity theft in cities like Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, and Okara on the campaign’s 49th day. 

LESCO filed first information reports (FIR) against 262 electricity thieves and arrested 17 individuals involved.  

The campaign is under the guidance of the Federal Power Division, with LESCO’s CEO, Engineer Shahid Haider, vowing to continue until electricity theft is entirely eradicated, including holding LESCO employees who facilitate it accountable. 

On the 49th day of the campaign, large agricultural and commercial consumers were discovered to be involved in electricity theft.  

Their services were disconnected, and they were billed for the detected units, with 12 commercial, 4 agricultural, 1 industrial, and 248 domestic connections involved. The total detection bill amounted to Rs15.174 million for 352,946 units. 

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Specific charges included Rs266,000 against an electricity pilferer in Islamia Park Lahore for 3,482 units, a Rs200,000 fine for a customer in Fiaz Colony for 4,650 units, another Rs200,000 detection bill for 3,960 units in Baghbanpura, and a Rs181,400 detection bill for 4,993 units in Bahadarpura. 

In total, LESCO detected power theft on 21,460 connections, filed 21,242 FIR applications, with 20,468 FIRs officially registered, and the police arrested 7,000 individuals involved in these crimes. According to Business Recorder, LESCO billed a total of 42,679,204 detection units worth Rs1,834,833,308 to power thieves. 

This campaign represents a significant step in addressing Pakistan’s longstanding issue of electricity theft, with authorities taking strong measures to combat this illegal activity.