ISLAMABAD — The Power Division has granted permission for Distribution Companies (Discos) to outsource manpower based on their operational needs, as part of efforts to reduce long-term financial liabilities. The move comes amid severe staffing shortages in Discos, which have been adversely affecting development and repair work, leaving consumers without timely services despite paying their electricity bills.
In a briefing before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Power, Secretary Power Division Dr. Fakhre Alam Irfan confirmed that Discos would now be able to hire staff through third-party contractors. In case of any issues with outsourced workers, Discos can request replacements from the contractors.
Committee Chairman Muhammad Idrees and other members expressed concern over the chronic understaffing in Discos, particularly in their constituencies, noting that it has led to delays in repairs and fault rectification.
The Power Division stated that outsourced staff would be trained for technical roles, while existing staff currently assigned to tasks like meter reading and bill distribution would be shifted to technical duties. The Power Division is also in talks with Pakistan Post to take over bill distribution, a responsibility currently handled by MEPCO.
Regarding the “Multi-Vendor Electricity Distribution Bill, 2025,” Secretary Power informed the committee that Pakistan’s electricity market has been opened to competition, with the first auction scheduled for January or February 2026, offering up to 200 MW. The Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2025-35 has been approved by the federal cabinet and is under review by Nepra. Once cleared, the Competitive Trading Bilateral Contract Market (CTBCM) framework will be notified.
The Secretary acknowledged delays in the energy sector but assured that efforts are underway to accelerate progress. On the topic of solar net metering, Additional Secretary Imtiaz Shah warned that the rapid increase in net metering capacity, now at 6,000 MW, is posing risks to grid stability.
Electricity losses, which amounted to Rs 600 billion in 2024, have been reduced to Rs 397 billion, with ongoing efforts to minimize these further. The government has waived electricity bills for domestic consumers in flood-affected areas for August 2025, and adjustments will be made for those who have already paid. Industrial and commercial users will have the option to pay in installments.
The Secretary also addressed forced load shedding, instructing Discos to avoid unscheduled load shedding in areas with line losses up to 20%. Targeted solutions are being sought for high-loss areas to ensure that bill-paying consumers are not unfairly impacted.
The committee also discussed issues related to HESCO and SEPCO. HESCO’s CEO briefed the committee on discriminatory load-shedding, while SEPCO’s CEO highlighted pending electrification projects, some of which had stalled due to administrative delays. The committee decided to convene a detailed meeting at the Power Division to address these issues and provide recommendations for further action.
