ISLAMABAD  -  President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday promulgated an or­dinance to declare the theft of electricity a cognizable offence. Through the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance 2023, the President amended the Sec­tion 462 (O) of the Pakistan Pe­nal Code, 1860. According to a President House statement, the electricity distribution compa­nies were earlier facing difficul­ties in the registration of FIRs of power theft incidents. The said ordinance will help curb power theft in the energy sector worth around Rs 590 billion. Earli­er Caretaker Minister for Ener­gy and Power Muhammad Ali called on President Dr Arif Alvi, at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad. Matters of mutual interest were discussed in the meeting.