Water and Power Ministry and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) have joined hands to recover Rs 112 billion from 235,000 chronic private electricity bill defaulters. This decision was taken at a joint meeting of Minister for Water and Power, Ahmad Mukhtar and Chairman NAB, Admiral Fasih Bokhari (Retd) on Wednesday wherein strategy was finalised to take action against electricity bill defaulters (private consumers).
In this regard terms of reference have been decided between NAB and Ministry of Water and Power (MoWP). MoWP will refer all cases to the NAB and the bureau will take action under National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999. MoWP will provide a list of electricity bill defaulters by Monday evening, March 11, 2013. According to NAB, in case of non-deposit of the defaulted amount, the defaulters will be prosecuted in accordance with the law. As per initial information provided by the Ministry of Water and Power, action will be taken against 230,000 electricity bill defaulters for the recovery of Rs 110 billion (approx).
The operation against defaulters will start simultaneously by all regional bureaus of NAB and defaulters will be bound to pay defaulted money within 30-day time. If defaulters fail to deposit defaulted amount within 15 days time, their names will be aired/published in the media and action will be taken against them under NAO 1999. In an official statement issued by the Ministry of Water and Power, the Minister said that non-recovery from the defaulters is creating serious problem for power sector and major cause of loadshedding in the country and circular debt. He said that such quick action has been required to recover outstanding from the defaulters for a long time. He said that the Ministry and Discos would fully support and co-ordinate with NAB for recovery of dues.
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