Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have reached an agreement to settle the contentious issue of electricity over-billing. LESCO Chief Shahid Haider and FIA Director Sarfraz Vark successfully resolved the dispute, announcing that over-billing will be phased out within three months. Furthermore, all pending connections will be addressed within the same timeframe, and faulty meters will be replaced. Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed concern over the revelation of 83 crore units being over-billed by LESCO, emphasizing that even low-consumption users were not spared from the over-billing. Minister Naqvi vowed that the campaign against over-billing would continue until it is completely eradicated, given the high cost of electricity in the country. Following the discovery, FIA took action by registering cases against seven LESCO officers, including five Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) and two revenue officers from Circle 3, who are accused of overbilling Rs 40 crore during their tenure over the past two years.

A list of 10 Executive Engineers (Exins) and 25 SDOs involved in over-billing was also forwarded to the Director-General. In a recent development, FIA arrested XEN Rao Kamran from LESCO's Shahpur Division for over-billing amounting to billions of rupees, with 49 million units flagged for irregularities. Subsequently, on April 9, seven Superintending Engineers (SEs) from LESCO were summoned by FIA for questioning. However, LESCO officials declined to appear before the FIA, asserting that only the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has the jurisdiction to investigate over-billing issues. In response to the settlement, a letter will be addressed to the Chief of LESCO, who will provide the FIA with a comprehensive response to all concerns within a day or two. The agreement also stipulates that FIA will refrain from raiding LESCO offices or lodging complaints regarding the issue. The resolution marks a significant step towards ensuring transparency and accountability in electricity billing, addressing the grievances of consumers affected by over-billing.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan