Summary CM has ordered to accelerate campaign against elements involved in electricity and gas theft.
LAHORE (Online) - Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif while issuing orders to further accelerate the campaign against the elements involved in electricity and gas theft in the province has said that the big fish should be taken to task and instead of employees, owners of the factories involved in the theft should be arrested.
He was presiding over a meeting of Taskforce on eradication of electricity and gas theft. Provincial Minister for Local Government and Law Rana Sanaullah Khan, Members Assembly Pervaiz Malik, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Chief Secretary, MD Sui-Northern Gas, LESCO, and other senior officials attended the meeting. Secretary Taskforce Irfan Ali gave a briefing about the steps taken against the gas and electricity theft.
He said that strict action should also be taken against the officers and officials of sui-gas and WAPDA with whose connivance theft is committed.
The Chief Minister while directing not to bow before any pressure or political affiliation during the campaign said that the scope of campaign against the elements involved in electricity and gas theft should be extended to more districts and the report about the action taken should be submitted to him on daily basis.
Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif vowed that the mafia involved in electricity and gas theft would be taken to task at every cost as these are criminals and the nation is facing electricity and gas load-shedding due to them.
He said that indiscriminate crackdown would continue against the persons involved in this heinous crime without any pressure as the elements involved in electricity and gas theft deserve no leniency.
The Chief Minister said that the concerned departments instead of taking action against poor people for only showing their performance, should net the big fish and the scope of campaign should be extended to commercial plazas and big houses.
He stressed the need for strict laws against the elements involved in electricity and gas theft of billions of rupees and disclosed that government is making legislation in this regard.
Shahbaz Sharif directed that the concerned departments should continue vigorous action against the persons involved in electricity and gas theft and instead of employees, arrest only the owners of the factories involved in this crime.
He asked the taskforce to submit a list of factory owners arrested so far during the operation and directed that the scope of the campaign should be extended to more cities and no safarish or pressure should be accepted during the action.
The Chief Minister asked to provide the list of corrupt officials of WAPDA and gas departments and ordered that besides the elements involved in gas and electricity theft, corrupt officials also deserve punishment and strict action should also be taken against them.
He also appreciated DCO Sheikhupura Ali Jan, DCO Faisalabad Najam Shah and CCPO Lahore Ch. Shafique for displaying best performance during the campaign.
