PM directs better electricity load management

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed relevant authorities on Tuesday to minimise ongoing load-shedding through improved load management, considering public relief in the current hot weather.

Chairing a meeting focused on load management and power theft, the prime minister reiterated the government’s commitment to strictly deal with power thieves, emphasizing that the ongoing crackdown would be pursued to its logical conclusion.

He committed to a monthly review of the power theft situation and urged provincial governments, law enforcement agencies, and other departments to support the anti-power theft drive for national interest and progress. The Prime Minister also stressed that the government would not tolerate over-billing and directed an acceleration of the privatization process of power distribution companies. He suggested involving experts to formulate a strategy for solarizing tube wells in Balochistan.

In the briefing on load management and power theft, it was revealed that a joint strategy had been developed following discussions between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister and the Federal Minister for Power. This strategy aims to reduce load-shedding and line losses while ensuring the recovery of dues from defaulters in the province.

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Areas experiencing higher power theft, line losses, and low recovery rates are subjected to load-shedding, and upgrading the south-north power transmission line is expected to improve the system. Task forces at provincial and divisional levels are being established to combat power theft, with their performance undergoing weekly reviews.

The meeting included Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Dr. Musaddik Malik, and Awais Ahmed Leghari, Minister of State Ali Pervaiz Malik, Coordinator to PM Rana Ehsan Afzal, WAPDA Chairman, and other senior officers. Provincial Chief Secretaries and Inspector Generals of Police participated via video link.