PML-N leader Safia Saeed involved in power theft: LESCO.

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE  -  Massive crackdown by the govern­ment against power theft is under­way across the country.

According to a tweet of the Secre­tary Power Division Rashid Langrial, 1748 million rupees have been re­covered during the past seven days while 5193 FIRs have been regis­tered against the power thieves.

It further said that 560 people were also arrested during the same period. The Lahore Electric Sup­ply Company (LESCO) charged 304 power pilferers with detection bill of 711,109 units worth Rs 30,205,018 during ninth day of grand anti-pow­er theft operation in all its circles on Friday.LESCO Chief Executive Offi­cer (CEO) Engineer Shahid Haider termed the electricity thieves as en­emies of national exchequer and de­served no mercy.

Following instructions of the Prime Minister and Ministry of En­ergy, a grand anti-power theft oper­ation was ongoing in LESCO region under the supervision of CEO Shahid Haider for the last nine days.

Sharing details of the ninth day operation, the LESCO spokesper­son confirmed that 304 connections in all circles were found involved in electricity theft and applications for FIRs against all electricity thieves had been filed in the respective po­lice stations, out of which 149 FIRs had been registered, while 20 sus­pects had also been arrested. 

He said that among the connec­tions seized were one industrial, five agricultural, 12 commercial and 286 domestic and all the connections had been disconnected and charged with detection bill of 711,109 units worth Rs 30,205,018.

He explained that in Ganda Singh area, a lawyer Ghulam Mustafa was stealing electricity from direct sup­ply and using it for agricultural pur­poses, the accused had been charged 19,490 units, the value of which was Rs 487,250 in terms of detection bill. In the same area of Ganda Singh, an­other customer was charged 21,760 units worth Rs. 544,250 as detec­tion bill for stealing electricity from direct Supply in Shahdin Village. An accused Muhammad Zafar Advo­cate was charged with 22,360 units worth Rs 559,000 as detection bill.

In the area of Bilawal Colony sub-division, the accused Basharat was stealing electricity from the di­rect supply and using it for agricul­tural purposes and he was charged 48,327 units of Rs 1.014 million un­der the detection bill. The same ac­cused was also charged 43800 units worth Rs 919,800 as detection bill for stealing electricity at anoth­er place. An electricity thief name­ly Pervez Iqbal was charged detec­tion bills of 45,625 units worth Rs. 958,125 and 43,800 units worth Rs. 919,800 for stealing electrici­ty at two different places including from a domestic connection. PML-N Women local leader Safia Saeed has been found involved in power theft. According to a spokesman of Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO)on Friday electricity was being sto­len from ‘Dera’ of PML-N local lead­er Safia Saeed which was situated at Bulleh Shah Sub division. Electric­ity was being stolen by using hook from transmission line. LESCO team reached the site and seized wire which was being used in power theft and handed over to police. Accused caused damage of Rs 100,000 to LE­SCO through installing direct hook. Spokesman said that accused were already defaulters of LESCO for more than Rs 60,000 and on this basis their connection was disconnected. 

A case had been registered against accused besides starting legal ac­tion against them.