PAC seeks withdrawal of free electricity facility from govt officers

The PAC gave the direction when informed about expected losses up to Rs590 bn this fiscal year.

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the power division to withdraw the facility of free electricity to gazette government officers – grades 16 to 22.

Public Accounts Committee Chairman Noor Alam Khan gave the direction while reviewing the Audit Report 2021-22 of the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) and its attached divisions.

Noor Alam said the committee would also recommend to the prime minister to support the decision that would save the national exchequer more than Rs9 billion a year.

The PAC chief said if parliamentarians have been asked to pay electricity bills out of their own pockets, judges and generals should also pay their bills.

The PAC gave the direction after federal secretary of the ministry of energy (power division) Rashid Mahmood Langrial revealed that losses would hit more than Rs590 billion this fiscal year.

Line losses, electricity theft and non-payment of electricity bills, were some of the reasons contributing to losses in the energy sector, he told the committee.

Noor Alam expressed displeasure at the power division working and lamented that a large part of the loan from International Monetary Fund (IMF) went to the energy sector.

He was of the opinion that free electricity for officers was a burden on the national exchequer and should be terminated immediately.

 

He expressed his concern on provision of free electricity to government officers and employees keeping in view the country’s economic crisis.

 

He also directed the secretary to hold meetings of Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) and hold inquiries against the alleged corrupt officials and suggest to PAC cases that needed to be handed over to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The PAC gave him two weeks to complete the inquiry and present report I the next committee meeting.

Responding to a question, Mr Langrial attributed irregularities in the power division to nepotism.

Some of the major discrepancies highlighted in the audit paras included irregular award of contracts due to defective/deficient bid evaluation in National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) worth Rs23 billion, losses due to theft of electricity worth Rs2.81bn in Lesco, Pesco, Qesco, and Sepco, false reporting of electricity bills by revenue officers worth Rs1.2bn and blockage of funds due to unnecessary procurement of equipment worth more than Rs1bn.

The committee expressed concern over failure to initiate the Dhabeji project in special economic zone (SEZ) that resulted in the lapse of Rs958m allocated for it and directed Principle Accounts Officer (PAO) Rashid Mahmood to hold an inquiry to look into the reasons for the lapse and report to the PAC.