The National Accountability Bureau (Nab) has announced countrywide arrests of power defaulters if they do not pay their bills by April 20. These defaulters owe Rs 166 billion to the distribution companies. This was disclosed by Nab Chairman Adm (r) Fasih Bokhari on Thursday. He disclosed that of the total, Rs 110 billion was owed by defaulters owing more than Rs 100,000 each. He also said that Nab had established cells for this purpose in all the distribution companies. A number of questions arise, and probably the first is whether the distribution companies are so weak that thy need Nab help to pursue those who do not pay their bills. It also must be asked why so many have been allowed to develop such large amounts outstanding, even though the distribution companies have the power of disconnecting the supply of any defaulting consumer. An answer, or rather the indication of one, is provided by the fact that a caretaker government has taken office, upon which Nab has suddenly taken an interest. The political government seems to have acted as a protector of defaulters rather than anything else, and thus politicians must take responsibility for the previous failure of the distribution companies to collect their dues. This failure to pay dues is behind the problem of circular debt, which is plaguing the whole power sector. It is only when the distribution companies collect these dues, that this problem can be solved.
Now that the distribution companies have got down to dealing with the consumers who do not pay their bills, is it perhaps too much to hope that they will go after those who steal electricity by illegal connections? Those people too have only got away with this through political influence, and must be brought on record. In the case of nonpaying consumers, at least the quantum of their theft is on record, while for those stealing through illegal connections it can only be estimated. However, if such consumers start to pay what they owe, a big difference would be made.

Admiral Bokhari also spoke about how Nab also planned a post-election scrutiny of winning candidates’ forms. It is true that the assemblies should be purged of people who do not come up to the legally prescribed standard, but even defeated candidates should be examined, to stop bad eggs from contesting again. However, before that stage, the arrests of the power thieves are anxiously awaited, as evidence that Nab is indeed in earnest.

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