Electricity theft in Pakistan

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Electricity theft, also known as hooking, or kunda system in local language, is a chronic issue throughout Pakistan. [1] Street protests in Pakistan for power outages and poor grid performance are common. Despite public pressure, the government of Pakistan has failed to resolve the issue, and has been criticised for its responses to victims of electricity supply shortages. [2] [3]

Contents

Electricity theft

In 2013, it was declared in the Senate of Pakistan, that Pakistan had lost Rs90 billion (equivalent to ₨ 149.1 billion in 2021) in the last 5 years to electricity theft and line losses. [4] [5] [6]

Power supply to Karachi

K-Electric is a successor to KESC which was its original name for more than 70 years. It is integrated in generation, transmission and distribution to the whole Karachi city and its surroundings. Post 1990 it was placed under WAPDA control with the company's share price at Rs.160/- in stock market. According to the Pakistan Observer, WAPDA poorly managed KESC, resulting in its later privitisation. [7]

Lack of access to power

According to estimates published in 2012-13, there were approximately 483 Katchi Abadis (informal settlements) in Karachi prior to 1990; residents of such localities do not have legal right to have civic facilities and basic living provisions such as electricity/water from government departments. According to the Chairman of Standing Committee on Urban Development of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry, this has now grown to over 4,700 settlements. [8]

Monopoly and international competition

[9]

Artificial reasons of theft

Difference in time of load-shedding

Many illegal ‘Kunda’ connections are overloading K-Electric's network, as well as causing financial losses. One method of getting electricity into the Kunda system is accessing a nearby area where timing of two neighborhoods are different for load shedding. [10] [11] [12]

More consumption versus higher cost

One reason for electricity theft is that, whilst usage is increasing, costs have also risen. [13] In 2009 a religious decree was issued in prohibiting theft of electricity. [14]

Anti-theft measures

In 2014 the President of Pakistan issued an ordinance defining punishments for electricity thieves, with context specific punishments. [15]

K-Electric has introduced technologies that it says will remove "Kunda system and electricity theft". This program known as the Area Bundle Cable (ABC) System, has so far been installed in Kiamari area of Karachi and there are plans for the entire city is to be covered in the future. [16] [17]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Bashar, Amanullah (2003), "One of the major problems faced by the KESC was default in payment of electricity bills", Pakistan & Gulf Economist, vol. 12, no. 18 & 19, archived from the original on 20 November 2015
  2. ↑ Declan Walsh (May 18, 2013). "Pakistan, Rusting in Its Tracks". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 19, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2015. natural disasters and entrenched insurgencies, abject poverty and feudal kleptocrats, and an economy near meltdown
  3. ↑ PPI (June 20, 2015). "Citizens take to streets against K-Electric". Pakistan Today. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  4. ↑ Web Edition (March 8, 2013). "Pakistan lost Rs90 billion in electricity theft, line losses". The News, Pakistan. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  5. ↑ Peter Kelly-Detwiler (April 23, 2013). "Electricity Theft: A Bigger Issue Than You Think". Forbes Energy. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  6. ↑ David Lawrence (June 19, 2013). "Sensors stop energy thieves". ABB. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  7. ↑ Salahuddin Haider (June 25, 2015). "K-Electric victim of circumstances and repeated injustice". Pakistan Observer. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  8. ↑ Hina Mahgul Rind (November 15, 2012). "Katchi Abadis house half of Karachi's population". The News International. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  9. ↑ Smith, Thomas B. (2004), "Electricity theft: a comparative analysis" (PDF), Energy Policy, 32 (18): 2067–2076, Bibcode:2004EnPol..32.2067S, doi:10.1016/S0301-4215(03)00182-4, archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-12-12, retrieved 2015-11-19
  10. ↑ "Kunda system a major cause of load shedding, excess billing". Daily Times, Pakistan. November 6, 2008. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  11. ↑ "G Area suffers due to Kunda system". The News. July 29, 2010. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Stealing electricity". Pakistan Today. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-04-17.
  13. ↑ Correspondant (August 21, 2015). "Karachi Chamber criticises increase in power tariff". The News (International). Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015. Hot topic Business page
  14. ↑ Correspondent (July 13, 2009). "Pakistan 'fatwa' on power thieves". BBC News. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015. Islamic scholars, declared the theft of electricity a sin{{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  15. ↑ Hadi Aziz (January 1, 2014). "Pakistan approves first-ever law against electricity thefts". The Newstribe. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  16. ↑ Staff Reporter (May 8, 2013). "KESC To Introduce ABC System To Avoid Electricity Theft, Kunda System". Pakistan State Times. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Replacing kunda system: Power utility starts anti-theft project in Keamar". The Express Tribune. February 2, 2011. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
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