The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approached the provincial governments to seek police co-operation for possible arrests of electricity bills defaulters. NAB is also planning to freeze assets of the accused persons after expiry of deadline, says an official statement issued here on Sunday.
In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all four provinces and Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Inspector Generals of Police, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Islamabad, NAB authorities intimated that the Bureau has started proceedings for initiation of criminal proceedings against defaulters of electricity bill under the Provisions of National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 on request of the Government of Pakistan through Ministry of Water and Power to recover the defaulted amounts which are running into billions of rupees.
In this regard a 30 days notice was issued through the print and electronic media for payment of dues to all defaulters failing which the defaulters will be arrested and prosecuted under the law.
The circular debt of the Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) has reached an alarming position and results in significant burden on the public exchequer and extensive load-shedding throughout the country which has badly affected the national economy and daily life of citizens. The Bureau had given April 19 as deadline to defaulters for paying the electricity dues through public notices. Chairman NAB has directed all the regions to pursue cases for initiating of criminal proceedings against defaulters who have not cleared their dues within the given time.
NAB had also directed power Discos to disconnect the electricity connections of defaulters, and had warned that failure would attract punitive action against officers/officials of Discos under NAO 1999.
In view of the decision of Lahore High Court (LHC), these instructions do not apply on consumers/defaulters of Lesco till the decision of the Court.