Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday has ordered a crackdown against the persons involved in electricity and gas theft. He said that stern action should be taken against such people without any discrimination.
He said this while presiding over a meeting of the Taskforce on Eradication of Electricity and Gas Theft.
Member of National Assembly Waheed Alam Khan, the Inspector General Police, Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) Board of Directors chairman, LESCO Executive Officer, Sui Northern Gas managing director and other officers concerned attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz said that the persons involved in electricity and gas theft are criminals and they should be taken to task.
He said that the life of people has become miserable due to such people as they steal electricity and gas worth millions of rupees and the innocent citizens have to face the consequences in the form of heavy bills.
While directing to bring the people involved in electricity and gas theft before the media, he said that all power companies, including LESCO and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO), should launch a vigorous media campaign against electricity and gas theft in their respective areas, adding that they will have the complete support of the police.
Shahbaz said that in case of electricity and gas theft, action should also be taken against the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Sui Gas officers concerned.
He said that the menace of electricity and gas theft will have to be eliminated at all costs and he will personally preside over a meeting every week to review the performance of the taskforce.
He directed the provincial police chief to constitute special teams, comprising honest and hardworking officers, for taking action against the those involved in electricity and gas theft and register cases against them.
The chief minister appreciated the performance of the district coordination officers of Gujranwala and Faisalabad for tracing gas theft of millions of rupees in industrial and commercial areas.
Earlier, Taskforce on Eradication of Electricity and Gas Theft secretory, Irfan Ali highlighted the performance of the taskforce against those involved in electricity and gas theft and the details of the action taken against them. Irfan Ali said that gas theft of millions of rupees has been traced in Faisalabad and Gujranwala.
LESCO chief executive and Sui Gas MD informed the CM that they are also taking action against electricity and gas theft.
