Pakistan''s armed forces, Presidency and some federal government offices have been served electricity disconnection notices by Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) for not paying their electricity bills, sources in Finance Ministry told Business Recorder here on Tuesday.
"Outstanding dues have touched Rs 6.337 billion against federal government and its departments up to June 30. Each department was served disconnection notice but they did not pay heed to clear their outstanding amounts," Pepco said in a letter to Secretary, Finance, on August 8.
Sources said that Pepco had also announced incentives for withdrawal of late payment surcharge for public sector consumers but they did not avail the opportunity. Sources added that outstanding dues against army (mess) deployed at borders, army in field, military dairy farms, General Headquarters (GHQ), Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Navy amount to Rs 581.08 million up to June 30, 2008.
The break-up of these outstanding arrears is as follows: army mess Rs 480 million, army deployed at borders Rs 18.21 million, military dairy farms Rs 5.85 million, GHQ Rs 6.07 million, PAF Rs 65.07 million, Navy Rs 3.19 million and others ie ISI Rs 2.70 million.
Sources said that Defence Production Division is a defaulter of Rs 11.59 million, Militia and Scouts of Rs 23.67 million, President House and President Secretariat of Rs 17.50 million, Chairman Senate office and residence of Rs 16.23 million, Pakistan secretariat of Rs 38 million, federal police of Rs 24.87 million, Ministry of Hajj and Auqaf of Rs 6.24 million, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications of Rs 20.13 million.
Ministry of States and Frontier Region (Safron) of Rs 253.92 million, of political agent Khyber Agency Rs 10.69 million, political agent Kurram Agency of Rs 9.13 million, political agent North Waziristan of Rs 6.44 million, Income Tax Department of Rs 5.61 million, Pakistan Post office Department of Rs 10.02 million, Archaeology of Rs 4.75 million, Chief Commissioner Islamabad of Rs 6.43 million, Frontier Constabulary of Rs 9.35 million, Frontier Corps Balochistan Quetta of Rs 23.76 million and others of Rs 60.15 million.
Local Bodies under federal government which did not pay their bills are: CDA Rs 74.44 million, Cantonment Board Lahore Rs 9.36 million, Walton Cantt, Board Lahore Rs 3.18 million, Cantonment Board Rawalpindi Rs 97 million, Cantonment Board Peshawar Rs 5.26 million, Cantonment Board D.I. Khan Rs 8.62 million, Cantonment Board Hyderabad Rs 85.67 million, Cantonment Board Abbotabad Rs 5.01 million, Cantonment Board Chaklala Rs 133.17 million and other of Rs 11.69 million.
Pepco is of the view that accumulation of these arrears has jeopardised the financial position of National Transmission of Dispatch Company (NTDC) and in fact the entire power sector, sources said.
NTDC is unable to pay dues to IPPs, Gencos, and Wapda hydel for electricity purchase that''s why IPPs have threatened to call GoP sovereign guarantees and any such action would have disastrous consequences for the national economy and Pakistan''s credit ratings. Sources said that Pepco has demanded of the Finance Ministry to deduct the amounts at source to ameliorate financial position of the company.
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