Inquiry committee confirms overbilling by power firms

ISLAMABAD: A four-member independent inquiry committee on ‘Abject Failure — Illegal Overbilling’ confirmed the power regulator’s overcharging allegations against all the distribution companies (Discos) across the country but absolved them of ‘deliberate and mala fide’ fleecing while shifting some blame on to the then PDM-led coalition government’s decision-making. All the members of the inquiry committee who have either worked with or still working under the Power Division in different capacities. In a 37-page report, the committee led by former federal secretary Irfan Ali also blamed the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) for jumping the gun with hasty publication of such ‘extreme allegations’ while simultaneously commending with consensus the regulator’s ‘intent and direction’ saying such questions should have been raised much earlier.