Disconnections: Lesco issues notices to 57,700 industrial, commercial consumers

The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), in collaboration with the Corporate Regional Tax Office (CRTO) Lahore, has issued notices to industrial and large commercial consumers for disconnection of supplies in case they failed to get National Tax Number (NTN) by 26th of September 2019.
As many as 57,700 industrial and commercial consumers with utilization of 5kWh and above of LESCO region, including Lahore, Sheikhupura and Okara cities, have been approached through notices to fulfil the requirements of Section 181AA of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. Out of 57,700, number of industrial and commercial consumers are 43,000 and 14700 respectively.
Sources said that those having received notices have started approaching the help desks of FBR at the service centres of LESCO both for verification of their NTN certificates as well as for new registrations.
The notices for disconnection/discontinuation of industrial/commercial connection have been issued on the consumer ID number, reference number, name and addresses as per electricity bills. These notices read as follows: 'It is mandatory under section 181AA of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, inserted through Finance Act 2014, for every industrial and commercial connection holder to get registered with FBR under the said section"
Section 181AA of the Ordinance is as follows: "Notwithstanding anything contained in any law, for the time being in force, any application for commercial or industrial connection of electricity or natural gas, shall not be processed and such connection shall not be provided unless the person applying for electricity or gas connection is registered under section 181."