Electricity, gas theft: go after the big fish, chief minister tells reluctant officials

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 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 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 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.
He was presiding over a meeting of Taskforce on eradication of electricity and gas theft Saturday. Provincial Minister for Local Government and Law Rana Sanaullah Khan, Members of 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.
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 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 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.
The Chief Minister 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. He further directed that a vigorous awareness campaign should be launched for creating awareness among the people about gas and electricity theft. Shahbaz Sharif said that the campaign against the elements involved in electricity and gas theft is a national obligation and the concerned departments will have to discharge their duties honestly and devotedly.
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 Chaudhry Shafique for displaying best performance during the campaign.
Earlier, Secretary Taskforce Irfan Ali while giving a briefing against the elements involved in electricity and gas theft said during last 18 days, electricity and gas theft has been detected at 59 places at a large scale during various raids, upon which, 75 persons were arrested by registering 66 cases and a total theft of crores of rupees has been detected. He said that on the directions of Chief Minister Punjab, the scope of campaign against the persons involved in gas and electricity theft has been extended to more districts. DIG Operations Lahore Rai Tahir told that during the campaign, such a gang has also been eliminated in Baghbanpura area which, after theft, used to provide electricity and gas to the citizens and receive the bills itself.