In a shocking revelation, eight electricity distribution companies across Pakistan collectively overcharged consumers by a staggering
Rs. 244 billion during the fiscal year 2023–24.
The discovery is based on an extensive audit affidavit by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), which charges the companies with overcharging their invoices so as to cover up institutional waste, line losses, and rampant theft of electricity.
The power distribution companies named in the report include
IESCO, LESCO, HESCO, MEPCO, PESCO, QESCO, SEPCO, and
TESCO. According to a national daily that reviewed the audit, the overbilling appears to be a deliberate attempt to cover up operational failures and avoid accountability.
Single-Month Surge: Rs. 47.81 Billion in Overbilling
The audit uncovered that
five of these companies charged
278,649 consumers an excess of Rs. 47.81 billion in just one month. Throughout the fiscal year, more than
900 million extra electricity units were wrongly billed, placing an immense financial burden on households and businesses alike.
Despite the scale of malpractice, the report highlights that
no disciplinary measures were taken against the officials involved in the overbilling scandal.
QESCO Tops the List of Offenders
Among the eight companies,
Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) emerged as the
worst offender, particularly targeting
agricultural consumers. The audit reveals that QESCO billed
Rs. 148 billion in excess, mainly by manipulating
tube well consumption charges. These charges were artificially inflated far beyond actual usage, placing immense strain on farmers who already struggle with high input costs.
Load Adjustments and Feeder Manipulation
In addition to direct overbilling, the audit found that
Rs. 22 billion were unfairly billed under the pretense of “
load adjustment,” a term often used to obscure
technical losses in the grid. Furthermore,
1,432 power feeders were involved in issuing inflated bills totaling
Rs. 18.64 billion, with audit teams reportedly denied access to essential records linked to these transactions—raising serious transparency concerns.
Partial Refunds Issued—But Documentation Lacking
Some power companies initiated partial refunds.
PESCO issued
Rs. 2.18 billion in adjustments, while
Rs. 5.29 billion were returned to consumers due to
incorrect meter readings. However, the audit report criticized these efforts, stating that
most refund claims lacked proper documentation, making it difficult to verify whether consumers were fairly compensated.
Silence from the Top
What’s particularly alarming is the lack of accountability across the board. Despite clear evidence of financial malpractice, no substantial action has been taken to hold the officials or companies responsible. The absence of consequences raises questions about governance and the oversight of public utilities in Pakistan.
