LAHORE: Consumers of the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) were charged more than Rs1 billion through detection adjustments in July 2026, involving nearly 37.84 million units, with wide disparities among divisions raising questions about the basis and consistency of the assessments.

According to Mepco data for July available with Dawn, 120,003 detection adjustments were made against 8.17m bills across the company’s nine divisions. The adjustments involved 37,842,770 units and carried a combined financial assessment of Rs1.009 billion.

Multan recorded 9,106 detection adjustments with a financial assessment of Rs187.22m, while Rahim Yar Khan recorded the highest number of adjustments at 28,486, with an assessment of Rs118.04m.

DG Khan reported the highest number of detection units at 6.48m, followed by Rahim Yar Khan with 5.87m and Muzaffargarh with 4.92m. Despite having fewer detection units than DG Khan, Multan’s financial assessment was higher at Rs187.22m compared with Rs154.07m in DG Khan.

Khanewal, Bahawalnagar consumers liable to pay Rs91.28m and Rs52.62m, respectively, against 2.89m units each

Muzaffargarh reported the second-highest number of adjustments at 18,507, followed by Vehari with 13,569 and DG Khan with 13,476.

Bahawalpur recorded 10,018 adjustments involving 3.26m units and an assessment of Rs101.56m, while Sahiwal reported 9,322 adjustments involving 3.28m units and Rs101.65m.

Khanewal reported 8,487 adjustments involving 2.89m units and an assessment of Rs91.28m, while Bahawalnagar witnessed 9,032 adjustments involving a similar 2.89m units but an assessment of only Rs52.62m.

The Rs38.66m difference in financial assessments between Khanewal and Bahawalnagar, despite the two divisions reporting almost identical numbers of detection units, illustrates the wide variation in assessments.

The differences can be linked to consumer categories, applicable tariff rates, connected load, the alleged duration of irregular consumption and the nature of cases detected. However, the available data does not provide a breakdown of the assessments on these parameters.

A sub-divisional officer (SDO) posted in Mepco subdivision, Multan, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a detection adjustment by itself did not establish electricity theft. He said such billing adjustments could arise from cases involving meter tampering, illegal abstraction, direct connections or defective or slow meters, subject to the applicable rules and procedures.

Under the Nepra Consumer Service Manual (CSM), distribution companies are required to follow prescribed procedures while raising detection bills. The basis of assessment and the applicable period depend on the nature of the irregularity detected.

In cases involving slow or defective meters, the regulatory framework places limits on the period for which additional consumption can be assessed, while the distribution company is responsible for timely inspection and replacement of faulty meters. The issue is particularly relevant to consumers who claim that they were billed for excessive consumption because their meters remained defective for prolonged periods.

A Multan consumer, Shakeel Khan, said he had received four detection bills and had been asked to pay thousands of rupees despite his electricity meter being faulty. He said his meter had not been replaced for around four months, while additional units were subsequently included in his bills.

Mr Khan alleged that consumers were being made to bear the burden of electricity theft and line losses and claimed that prescribed rules were being violated in the detection billing process.

Meanwhile, Mepco Chief Executive Officer Gul Muhammad Zahid directed field officers to ensure accurate and timely billing, transparency in meter reading and strict compliance with the Nepra manual while issuing detection bills.

Addressing an online performance review meeting at the Mepco headquarters, he said consumers of all categories must be billed according to their actual electricity consumption and directed officials to monitor the meter-reading process and resolve billing complaints on a priority basis.

On detection billing, the CEO directed officials to obtain complete documentary evidence before imposing detection charges on consumers and to accurately determine connected load and the duration of alleged electricity theft on appropriate and verifiable grounds.

He also directed officials to process electricity theft cases in accordance with the Nepra manual and relevant company instructions, and to follow up on FIR registration, legal proceedings and recovery of detection bills.

However, the Mepco data does not disclose how much of the Rs1.009bn assessed through detection adjustments in July, has actually been recovered.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2026