Free electricity for mosques linked with a fatwa proposed

• Mosques to get 400 units free if prayer leader issues a religious decree against power theft

ISLAMABAD: A sub-committee of Senate’s Standing Committee on Power put forth a few unique proposals on Friday to curb the electricity theft, which includes the incentive of offering free electricity to mosques if their prayer leaders issue a fatwa (religious decree) against power theft.

According to the proposal prepared by the sub-committee, mosques which will announce a fatwa against the use of stolen electricity will be given the first 400 units of electricity free each month. The fatwa will highlight the repercussions of using stolen electricity in daily life, according to the proposal.

In its recommendation, the sub-committee observed that Rs40 billion loss incurred by the PEPCO in the last six months due to supply of electricity to 80 per cent theft/loss feeders on the direction of the Power Division is not acceptable and in such cases a federal subsidy through zakat or BISP must be provided for these theft bearing feeders.

It was also observed that load shedding has to be done on an equitable basis as directed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan in a suo motu case. Therefore, it was recommended that PEPCO should evaluate the provision of two free hours electricity on feeder having theft/loss of more than 80 per cent and saving incurred by not providing 22 hours of electricity to these very feeders.