A former member of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), who previously served as an MPA, was apprehended for electricity theft at his farmhouse by officials from the Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO).

As reported by Dawn, MEPCO officials conducted a raid on Saturday at the farmhouse of former PPP MPA Mumtaz Ali Chang in Sadiqabad, where they uncovered instances of electricity theft. Working in collaboration with local police, officials disconnected the farmhouse’s meter and dismantled the illicit connections.

The report also highlights that the sprawling 15-acre farmhouse was equipped with 15 air conditioners and various other electronic appliances. Officials indicated that a detection bill and fine would be issued once the electrical load had been assessed.

In a separate operation, a coordinator affiliated with former MNA Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar was similarly discovered to be pilfering electricity for his residence.

Electricity distribution companies have recently intensified their efforts to combat electricity theft. This move follows widespread protests across the country in response to inflated power bills.

Notably, a significant number of individuals, including former MNAs and politicians, were found involved in electricity theft in Lahore. In a major operation targeting power thieves, the Lahore Electricity Supply Company (LESCO) apprehended 330 individuals, including former MNA Mehr Saeed Zafar Padhiar and two former district council chairmen.

Earlier, in line with the orders of the Ministry of Energy, an operation against power pilferers has kicked off wherein cases have been registered in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Multan against former members of the assembly, politicians, influential figures as well as others, and detection bills worth millions of rupees have been served for stealing millions of units.

A detection bill is served for illegal abstraction of electricity or consumption of energy; direct hooking; and on account of slowness etc in accordance with the provisions of Section 26-A of the Electricity Act, 1920.

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In the grand operation in the Lahore Electric Supply Company region, 330 electricity thieves, including important personalities, were caught. One hundred and thirty cases were registered while 11 suspects were arrested.