PM Shehbaz Orders Technical Audit of Power Distribution Companies
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered a comprehensive technical audit of the billing systems of power distribution companies on July 31, 2026, during a review meeting in Islamabad. The directive targets commercial losses and electricity theft across Pakistan’s national grid.
Evaluating Power Distribution Performance and Technical Audits
According to official government releases from the review meeting, while the performance of distribution companies has improved considerably, systemic operational gaps still demand aggressive intervention.
To enforce accountability, the government announced a formal incentive structure. The best-performing Disco will be officially recognized and awarded to foster healthy operational competition across the sector. Concurrently, strict enforcement measures are being rolled out nationwide to eliminate electricity theft.
Recovery Rates and Regional Loss Reductions
Official briefings presented during the Islamabad review indicated that technical and commercial losses within Discos are gradually declining. Data for the preceding fiscal year highlighted the Islamabad Electric Supply Company, Lahore Electric Supply Company, and Gujranwala Electric Power Company as recording the lowest transmission and distribution losses.
Furthermore, 100 percent recoveries were achieved in fiscal year 2025-26 across several major operational jurisdictions. These include:
- Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO)
- Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO)
- Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO)
- Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO)
- Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO)
To sustain these recovery rates and resolve localized technical bottlenecks, specialized Disco Support Units have already been established in specific operational territories. These units operate within the Hyderabad, Sukkur, Lahore, Multan, and Hazara electric supply companies.
Advanced Metering and Infrastructure Overhauls
Officials briefed the prime minister that the initial deployment phase of an Asset Performance Management System at the transformer level is scheduled for completion by September 30, 2026. Integrating transformers with this performance management framework is designed to simultaneously suppress unauthorized power tapping and minimize unannounced load-shedding.
In parallel, the government is reviewing an extensive infrastructure plan to install 16.2 million single-phase Advanced Metering Infrastructure meters. This rollout is slated for the Multan, Lahore, Peshawar, Hazara, and Quetta regions.