Peshawar High Court Criticizes PESCO's Treatment of Consumers

In a recent hearing at the Peshawar High Court, Justices Shakeel Ahmad and Sahibzada Asadullah expressed strong disapproval of Peshawar Electricity Supply Company's (PESCO) treatment of residential consumers. The court session was prompted by a petition from residents of Matni area, who have endured a year of frequent electricity cuts. Justice Shakeel Ahmad criticized PESCO's focus on penalizing regular consumers for non-payment, urging the company to tackle rampant electricity theft by industrial units instead. He highlighted the detrimental impact of such theft on power supply reliability and the resulting hardships faced by the public.

Justice Ahmad also raised concerns about internal corruption within PESCO, emphasizing the need for action against employees involved in electricity theft. He stressed the importance of prioritizing uninterrupted power supply for bill-paying consumers, rather than punishing them with outages. Justice Sahibzada Asadullah echoed these sentiments, pointing out the counterproductive nature of power cuts in encouraging bill non-payment.

The petitioner, deeply affected by the prolonged power outages, shared the severe challenges faced by residents in the area, including feelings of desperation and hopelessness. In response to the situation, the Peshawar High Court directed PESCO to submit a detailed report on the matter before the next hearing scheduled for April 30th.