Islamabad, the 26^th February, 2019

PRESS RELEASE

• ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES SHOULD GIVE CLEAR 7 DAYS TO PAY BILLS.
• NEPRA SHOULD FUNCTIONALIZE COMPLAINT OFFICES AT ALL DISCO HEADQUARTERS BY 30^TH JUNE.

(Syed Tahir Shahbaz, Federal Ombudsman)

Syed Tahir Shahbaz, Federal Ombudsman has directed all Electric Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to give clear 07 days for payment of utility bills.  He said that a number of complaints had been received for giving 2-3 days to pay the utility bills, which is a mal-administration on the part of DISCOs, therefore, NEPRA should ensure that all distribution companies give clear 07 days to pay the bills.   He was chairing a high level meeting in his office with the Chairman NEPRA to resolve grievances of the public regarding electric distribution companies in a shortest possible time.  The Chairman NEPRA Mr. Rehmatullah Balouch gave a detailed briefing about the complaint handling mechanism and informed that NEPRA was establishing its public complaint offices at all DISCO headquarters.  He said that public complaint offices at Lahore and Karachi were already established and fully functioning to redress the grievance of public, however, remaining offices would be established after getting approval of staff and funds.  The Ombudsman directed that these public complaint offices should start functioning by 30^th June, positively.  The Chairman further informed that 6850 complaints were referred by the Wafaqi Mohtasib and 4666 complaints received directly from public during 2018, whereas, most of the complaints have been decided while 437 cases were pending.  The Ombudsman directed NEPRA to improve its complaint handling mechanism and decide cases within 30 days.  He further directed that the interface of complaint handling system of NEPRA should be connected with the Integrated Complaint Management System of Wafaqi Mohtasib, so that the Mohtasib Secretariat can monitor its working.