Interior Minister orders indiscriminate action against officials resorting to overbilling

Mohsin Naqvi says govt to provide security to FIA teams going after power pilferers

Making it clear that overbilling would not be tolerated at any cost, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday ordered countrywide action against those charging extra amounts from consumers without any discrimination, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  

The minister also ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials to speed up the crackdown on power pilferers. “You must show 100 per cent performance against those resorting to overbilling and stealing electricity,” he said to the officials.

Calling overbilling an act of ‘cruelty, he directed that relief be provided to the masses.

Naqvi informed that the government would provide security to the FIA teams conducting raids to arrest power pilferers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.

20 GEPCO officials arrested

On the other hand, as part of their crackdown, the FIA has arrested 20 Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) officers for committing fraud with the consumers.  

According to the Agency officials, the suspects would enter into the system that a consumer had paid the bill. But they would devour the money instead.  

The officials have said that the suspects hence caused the loss of Rs105 million to the national exchequer through their corrupt practices.

Giving more details, the FIA officials have said those taken into custody were grade-16 and grade-17 revenue officers, an assistant manager, an additional assistant manager, accounts officers and a commercial assistant.

They have informed that cases have been registered against the officers and investigations have begun.

Reporters: Awais Kiani and Zahid Iqbal Rana