‘Power theft burdens consumers, sparks nationwide crackdown’

KARACHI: A significant portion of stolen or lost electricity is either passed on to consumers in the form of higher tariffs or added to the growing circular debt, a burden that future generations will inherit, according to Mehfooz Pakistan, a safety organisation.

To mitigate theft-related losses, power distribution companies are compelled to impose outages even when generation capacity exceeds demand, disproportionately affecting law-abiding consumers. In a statement on Monday, the organisation highlighted the need for urgent action to address this issue.

In December 2023, an ordinance amending Section 462(O) of the Pakistan Penal Code was issued by the president. This amendment made electricity theft a cognizable offence, punishable by up to three years of imprisonment, fines of up to Rs3 million and significant detection charges. Power companies were empowered to levy penalties, confiscate equipment and file criminal cases against offenders.

A nationwide crackdown on power theft has since been launched. In Punjab alone, including Lahore, the police have arrested 61,540 individuals on charges of electricity theft in 2024. These arrests resulted in the registration of 99,572 cases and the conviction of 8,424 offenders. Similar operations are underway in Balochistan and parts of Sindh. Power theft is not merely a financial crime; it is a serious safety hazard. Illegal connections can cause electrical fires, electrocution and other dangerous accidents, the statement warned.